Movie of the Week: Imperial Dreams

Alexa: It has, in my opinion, taken way too long for John Boyega to become a star. Whatever the “it” factor is, he has it. He proved it back in 2011 in “Attack the Block,” and “Imperial Dreams” is another superb showcase for him. The movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014, but wasn’t released widely until Netflix dropped it in February. Its eventual release was likely due in large part to Boyega’s burgeoning name recognition after a little movie called “The Force Awakens.” But “Imperial Dreams” is a solid, thoughtful film in its own right. It’s an intimate portrait of a life filled with roadblocks, of a man who desperately wants a better future for himself and his son, but he’s constantly thwarted by his environment and a broken system. The fact that an innocent child who doesn’t understand the harsh realities of the world around him is at the center of the story raises the stakes even higher, not to mention that Boyega’s character is barely past childhood himself. The script is compelling, the movie is beautifully shot and great performances abound, but Boyega is really the heart and soul here. “Imperial Dreams” just reaffirms what a tremendously gifted actor he is. Now that he has the power of the force behind him, I hope he has only scratched the surface of his potential and his opportunities grow from here.

Joel: Even though this movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival three years ago, it wasn’t until the lead actor John Boyega was cast in The Force Awakens that it started to get more mainstream attention. (Which is interesting considering that it was Boyega’s performance in this movie that brought him to the attention of The Force Awakens.) That being said, those tuning into this movie thanks to Star Wars are going to get something completely different. Even Boyega’s second most famous movie, Attack the Block, is something far more fantastical than this movie.

Imperial Dreams, tells the story of Bambi, a man who’s just gotten out on parole, and is trying to pull his life together both for his sake and that of his sons. While there are other movie that have similar setups, the whole “criminal in the past trying to go straight” kind of thing, where Imperial Dreams makes it’s mark is that it takes time to show just how impossible trying to do the right thing can be. It seems that everywhere he turns, Bambi is stopped by some breakdown in the system that should theoretically be there to help him get back on his feet. For most of the movie, Bambi struggles, homeless and jobless, being turned away time and again, by those who are either unwilling or unable to help. At one point the movie points out the circle that Bambi is trapped in, where he can’t get a job without getting a driver’s license, but can’t get a license until certain debts are paid, but can’t get the money to pay without the job that he can’t get without a license. And to really drive the point home, from almost the very beginning, there is a well paying, relatively safe, criminal job offered to him time and again, just sitting there. It paints a picture of how easy it is to slide back into old habits, thanks to how the system is set up.

Throughout the movie, Boyega plays his character with unfailing resolve to do the right thing, and do what needs to be done for his son. I was surprised by how heavily his son, Day, was featured in the movie. But Day’s constant presence serves as a constant reminder to Bambi and to the audience why he faces obstacle after obstacle, never backsliding into his previous actions, and always trying to build something of a life for him and his son. It’s a small quiet piece that manages to speak volumes about the world it’s trying to build.

Chris: I guess I finally breathe a sigh of relief because I've seen a bunch of movies with the same premise or a similar setting and once I saw where Imperial Dreams was heading, I thought for sure we were gonna have either Bambi or his son killed before the end of the movie. Thankfully, we instead had child services justifiably take custody of Bambi's son to the long-term benefit of the boy as well as Bambi, who can focus on creating a stable environment. Not enough can be said about the performance of John Boyega in this movie and one can only hope that he gets more chances in the Star Wars franchise to showcase what he can do dramatically. And yes, I did make the Imperial Dreams "this Star Wars prequel seems a bit off" joke when I first saw the trailer a couple months ago. I stand by it, don't judge me.