- MPAA rating : PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
- Director : Andy Tennant
- Media Format : Digital_copy, NTSC
- Release date : September 22, 2020
- Actors : Katie Holmes, Josh Lucas, Jerry O'Connell, Celia Weston, Katrina Begin
- Studio : Artisan / Lionsgate
- ASIN : B08CJV1XQR
- Number of discs : 1
Any time a film
is associated with a philosophy, religion, or self-help book, the filmmakers seem
to have an exceedingly difficult time with subtlety. The agenda of selling the
audience members on the belief system that the narrative is focused on often
becomes more important than the narrative or other filmmaking elements. With The
Secret: Dare to Dream, we are immediately assaulted with the source material
being referenced in the form of a cumbersome title. But while this film is a
far cry from being a memorable romantic comedy, audiences could do a lot worse in
these days of bad Netflix teen romances, Lifetime movies, and the yearly bombardment
of faith-based films released in the spring.
Based
on the best-selling self-help book about the power of positive thinking, the
film begins with the introduction to the embodiment of the opposite belief
system in Miranda (Katie Holmes). Despite hard work and good intentions,
Miranda and her three children seem to encounter endless bad fortune following
the death of her husband in a tragic plane crash. She sees the reality of their
bleak situation which includes a car crash and a roof wrecked in a bad storm,
until these events bring positive thinker Bray (Josh Lucas) into their lives.
The mysterious stranger has business in town, but quickly becomes entangled in
Miranda’s drama, much to the dismay of her local boyfriend (Jerry O’Connell).
The premise of
the film could accurately be described as Bounce meets Sweet Home
Alabama, though this doesn’t account for the capitalistic preoccupation of
the ideology running through the screenplay. Coincidences are always a bit
obnoxious in storytelling, but this film is even more annoying in its
insistence that fortunate luck is a result of positive thoughts. Scenes where a
desire for superficial things such as an upgraded room or stuffed-crust pizza
are rewarded with that item magically appearing are more than a little hokey.
Thankfully, the second half of the film leaves behind the discussion of
positive thinking for a genuine romance, built off of the natural charm and chemistry
of Holmes and Lucas. What starts off as a film that feels a bit like propaganda
ends up as a movie that resembles a lesser Nicholas Sparks adaptation.
Dare to Dream
is a sweet and innocent film, never in danger of risking the PG rating. This is
not necessarily a bad thing, though the humor could use at least a little bit
of edge. The one-liners in this film are so safe and obvious that they wouldn’t
even pass muster as dad jokes. This anxiety about alienating the most conservative
audience members is also what leads to some of the cheesiest moments of forced
humor in the faith-based films as well. Quite simply, the cast elevates an
otherwise clunky and obvious screenplay into something little more than
diverting.
The Blu-ray
release for The Secret: Dare to Dream also comes with a DVD and digital
copy of the film, just in case you needed three formats to watch it. The special
features on the discs themselves include only a single behind-the-scenes
featurette.
Entertainment Value:
4/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 5/10
Historical
Significance: 1/10
Special Features: 2/10
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