Cinema Feature

DREAMLAND

Now Playing at Roadhouse Cinemas

Director Miles Joris-Peyrafitte tells a sort of reverse Bonnie and Clyde story with Dreamland, a great looking, well-acted and ultimately decent watch featuring the great Margot Robbie.

If you haven’t been paying attention, yes, Robbie has evolved into one of the finest actresses in the biz, and she’s spectacularly good here as Allison Wells, a bank robber on the run after an unfortunate turn of events. She winds up in the barn belonging to the family of Eugene (a very good Finn Cole), farmers who have fallen on rough times due to drought and dust storms.

Eugene stumbles upon a wounded Allison, and their bond begins. Where that bond takes them is a bit slow going and predictable, but the two make the journey worthwhile.

Hats off to Peyrafitte and cinematographer Lyle Vincent for putting together what stands as one of the year’s best-looking films. Period pieces (this one set during the Great Depression), obviously, rely heavily upon how they look and feel, and this one looks and feels like an authentic, dusted over Texas. I watched it on my home screen, but it is playing at theaters, and I imagine the dust storm sequence plays great on a big screen.

The film feels a bit like it’s missing a chapter. It takes a while for Allison and Eugene to hit the road, and the film basically ends shortly thereafter. The slow first three quarters is forgivable but would’ve been more forgivable if the road portion had a little more meat on the bone.

Still, Robbie and Cole are strong and memorable together, and Dreamland stands as one of the better performances in Robbie’s impressive career.