‘Dreams,’ an erotic thriller set in the ballet world, stumbles over larger ideas

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In his latest film, “Dreams,” Mexican filmmaker Michel Franco (“Memory”) examines the complicated relationships between wealth, social class, and the issues surrounding the border. The film is a provocative and disturbing erotic drama featuring Jessica Chastain and Isaac Hernández, a talented ballet dancer and actor from Mexico.

The movie, unfolding at a relaxed pace, features two people exploring a passionate connection – whether it’s love or simply desire. They test the limits of their relationship by using their influence over each other, and the film looks at how attraction and distance can exist at both a personal and worldwide level, revealing the complicated area where these forces intersect.

I was really intrigued by the setup in this film. Jessica Chastain plays Jennifer McCarthy, a very privileged woman from San Francisco who uses her wealth to support a ballet school down in Mexico City. But the story doesn’t focus on her at all, surprisingly. Instead, we’re immediately thrown into the experience of Fernando, played by Hernández. We first meet him being dropped off in San Antonio – literally tossed out of a truck with other migrants – on what sounds like a brutally hot day. It’s his journey that really drives the narrative, not the philanthropist’s.

Fernando faced incredible hardship to reach a life of comfort – a stylish home in San Francisco that feels strangely familiar. A gifted dancer who was previously deported, he’s taken huge risks to be with the woman he loves, Jennifer. However, Jennifer, a public figure, wants to keep their relationship hidden, treating him like a secret. But Fernando refuses to stay hidden and demands to be acknowledged as a person, not just a clandestine affair.

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Jennifer and Fernando are trying to build a relationship, but outside pressures threaten to pull them apart. However, the biggest threat to their connection actually comes from within – from their own issues and how they relate to each other.

The film “Dreams” unfolds like a dance, following its characters as they navigate their surroundings. It draws interesting comparisons between Fernando and Jennifer, despite their vastly different circumstances. Both experience loneliness, finding themselves alone in empty houses, and both grapple with sadness. When their relationship hits a rough patch, Fernando seeks refuge in a simple motel room, sharing wine with a friend while ignoring Jennifer’s calls. Meanwhile, Jennifer sits alone in her dim dining room, quietly sipping from elegant crystal glasses – a stark contrast to Fernando’s plastic cups, yet a shared sense of isolation.

The contrasts in the film aren’t subtle, but they’re striking. For much of the movie, Franco simply asks us to observe the characters interacting – or avoiding each other – in a peculiar dance. Their physical presence, often highlighted against grand buildings, is more meaningful than the limited dialogue, which only provides essential details to the story.

Yves Cape’s beautiful and vibrant cinematography perfectly captures the film’s unsettling atmosphere. The absence of a traditional musical score—except for music within the ballet sequences—heightens the sense of detachment and bleakness as the characters inflict escalating emotional and physical pain on one another. This behavior stems from a desperate attempt to control each other, ultimately leading to a truly dark and disturbing climax.

In the third act of “Dreams,” the story takes a surprising turn. What began as a reserved drama about the pressures on a relationship transforms into a fierce battle for control between Jennifer and Fernando. They both attempt to dominate each other, indulging in intense and aggressive behavior.

In the end, Franco abandons his characters in favor of surprising but unearned plot twists, which leave the audience feeling uncomfortable. These events don’t offer any real insight and instead feel like a disappointing letdown. While the story touches on relevant issues, “Dreams” doesn’t deepen our understanding of them, leaving us confused about its message regarding sex, violence, money, and freedom. Any ideas the film presents feel obvious and familiar.

Katie Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

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2026-02-28 00:31