Dreams Review – A Bold, Abusive Drama with Courageous Performances

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Category: Haute This Issue

Published on Friday, 20 February 2026 11:55

Written by Janet Walker

Dreams, from Greenwich Entertainment, presents a story of power, control, and dominance, as an affluent benefactor and an illegal alien, but brilliant ballet dancer, become entangled in a passionate liaison that tests the limits of their relationship.

The film begins with a semi-truck sitting on the side of the highway, and by nightfall, voices are crying out, as the semi is transporting illegals. When the mules finally arrive, the aliens fall out of the truck and are immediately shaken down for whatever they have.

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One happens to slip away, and we see him walking until he finally reaches a diner. He is throw out, and eventually the waitress, picks him up, feeds him, provides clothing and water and he is off to San Francisco.

When he arrives, he clearly knows where he is going, he has been told where the spare key is, without concern he enters the house, freely eats, showers, and when the owner, whom we have not yet met, enters the house. She wakes him and question how he entered the U.S.

Soon, we realize Fernando, played by Isaac Hernandez, and Jennifer, played by Jessica Chastain, are lovers with a history. From here, we understand the class issues that Jennifer is consistently dealing with; Fernando is an illegal alien, and while he is a brilliant dancer, he will never be more than a lover. And for him, and his situation, it should be enough, but he wants dominance and presents an ultimatum: Introduce us as a couple or I'm leaving.

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This ushers in the second act, as Fernando disappears into the San Francisco world of illegal aliens and under the table employment. Jennifer is frantic, and she is determined to find him. The foundation she and her brother, Jake, played by Rupert Friend, have built aids the development of arts in Mexico. So, she travels to Mexico to meet with Fernando's parents who, when they realize she does not speak English, tell her she is too old for their son.

Setting him up with money, position, and housing in Mexico wasn't good enough. So, she was willing to do the same in San Francisco, and it still was not good enough. He wanted her to throw herself on the sword, destroy her family relationships, give up the position, power, prestige and money and bring him from the background to the forefront.

Eventually, she hires a P.I. to find him. Fernando is an expert at emotional manipulation and uses withholding to increase her desire. He finally returns to her house, and this erupts into an explosion of sex, and we see she may control her world, but Fernando person control her.

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This ushers in the shocking third act, as secrets are revealed, attempts to control the relationship go dramatically wrong, and strongholds are broken.

Dreams, a bold, intense, shameless film about relationship dynamics, contemporary socialite  undercurrents, social class, refinement and status.

Director Michael Franco was able to extract courageous performances from his cast. The film is fascinating, driven by strong passionate scenes, that translate with a fevered intensity and obsessive addiction. Jessica Chastain and Isaac Hernandez abandon themselves with a raging, uncontrollable urgency. When the balance shifts, the switch is seamless.

Gripping and riveting, Dreams, an open door romantic, manipulative, abusive drama, with strong and violent sexual scenes, and descriptive language, is not for the faint at heart.

Dreams open exclusively in theaters February 27, 2026. See it.

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Country: U.S.

Language: English, Spanish (with some English subtitles).

Runtime: 95 minutes.

Release Date: February 27, 2026.

Director: Michael Franco.

Producer: Alexander Arodnyansky, Erendira Nunez Larios, Michael Franco, Megan Carlson.

Executive Producer: Voledymyr Artemenko, Kelly Carmichael, Jessica Chastain.

Writer: Michael Franco.

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Isaac Hernandez, Rupert Friend, Marshall Bell, Eduardo Gonzalez, Hugo Costa Ramos, Rene Martinez, Nadia Chiney, Nadia Flamenco, Ali Kiley, Areyla Faeron, Mercedes Hernandez, Eligio Melendez.

Janet Walker is the publisher, founder, and sole owner of Haute-Lifestyle.com. A graduate of New York University, she has been covering international news through the Beltway Insider, a weekly review of the nation's top stories, for more than a decade.  A general beat writer/reporter and entertainment/film critic, she is also an accomplished news/investigative news/crime reporter and submitted for Pulitzer Prize consideration "Cops Conspire to Deep Six Sex Assaults" in the Breaking News Category and was persuaded to withdraw the submission. Ms. Walker has completed five screenplays "The Six Sides of Truth," "The Assassins of Fifth Avenue," "The Wednesday Killer," "The Manhattan Project," and the sci-fi thriller "Project 13: The Last Day." She has also published "Unholy Alliances: A True Crime Story," and "Days, Times, Seasons, and Events: A Collection of Poetry & Prose," which can be purchased here. She is a member of the Los Angeles Press Club, the National Writers Union, and a member of the International Federation of Journalists.