Dream Lover (1993)
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A successful architect becomes increasingly paranoid when he discovers his wife may have fabricated her entire identity.
The story
Ray Reardon, a successful architect in Los Angeles, meets an attractive woman named Lena Mathers after a chance encounter at a gallery opening. The two marry and become parents, but Ray soon begins to notice inconsistencies in Lena's stories about her past. As he investigates her history, he discovers she may have invented her identity to escape a life of poverty. Despite his growing suspicions, Ray remains attracted to her, but the situation escalates into a tense game of deception as Lena begins to manipulate his reality and frame him for her own actions.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Ray Reardon, a successful Los Angeles architect, marries Lena Mathers after a chance meeting. While they have a happy life with two children, Ray notices Lena lies about her past, including her education and family. He discovers she was actually 'Sissy' Sneeder from Piru, Texas, and that she engineered their meeting. Lena admits she invented her life to escape poverty. However, Ray becomes paranoid as Lena begins sporting unexplained bruises and hints at an affair. During a confrontation, Lena taunts him and claims their children might not be his. She eventually frames Ray for abuse, leading to his commitment to a mental hospital. While there, Lena admits she planned everything to get his money. Ray devises a revenge plan, tricking Lena into believing she made a mistake in her plan. He lures her out of the hospital and strangles her to death. In an unrated version, Ray is later seen at a zoo with his children, claiming his wife was the most wonderful woman in the world.
- First release year
- 1993
- Runtime (minutes)
- 103
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Nicholas Kazan
- Writers
- Nicholas Kazan · writer
- Cast and characters
- James Spader · Ray Reardon; Mädchen Amick · Lena Mathers Reardon / Thelma "Sissy" Sneeder; Bess Armstrong · Elaine; Fredric Lehne · Larry; Larry Miller · Norman; Kathleen York · Martha; Blair Tefkin · Cheryl; Scott Coffey · Billy
- Genres
- erotic thriller; mystery; psychological thriller
- Themes
- deception; identity; marriage; fidelity
- Tone and mood
- unsettling; sensuous; harrowing
- Premise and plot tags
- erotic thriller; psychological thriller; mystery; home invasion
- Content notes
- sex
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising the performances of James Spader and Mädchen Amick and describing it as a layered, unsettling thriller.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 62 · scale: 100 · review count: 15
- Production trivia
- The studio re-shot the ending, creating a version that will never be seen.; The film was a directorial debut for Nicholas Kazan.; The film was shot in New Jersey.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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