While the talents of the cast and crew are not to be dismissed, the true star of Dream! is Thailand itself. Beautiful widescreen compositions and gorgeous locations make up the film’s visual personality, giving us a taste of many countryside locales, small towns, and even big cities. Large sweeping shots of the forests and open meadows of Thailand are used often to encapsulate the world that Lek comes from. Rich golden hues in the first act are juxtaposed against the harsher blues and blacks in the second, signifying Lek’s progression out of her own reality and into the unforgiving world at large, where everything moves faster without any concern for her.

For Americans, Dream! will have a definite Hallmark holiday movie aesthetic to it, partially due to Lek’s obsession with Santa Claus and the presence of Christmas iconography in the larger world that she finds herself in. To that end, the film has a deep sentimentality, with a mild undercurrent of darkness. Lek’s adventures are akin to similar films about children on the road seeking a way out of the gloom, such as 1985’s The Journey of Natty Gann. In both cases, things eventually work out for our lovable protagonists, but they’re forced to go through some tough times in order to get there.

Fine performances from all of the actors are in place, as are a range of musical numbers, pushing the fairy tale aspects over the top. Young Amata Masmalai is endearing as the wide-eyed, wandering Lek, given an equally-lovely singing voice by Victoria Woodman. Masmalai not only conveys a natural sweetness and an innocence, but also manages to impart genuine emotion. Other notable performances include Chomphupak Poonpol as Lek’s mother, Vithaya Pansringarm as her villainous stepfather, and Adam Kaokept as the traveling salesman Dr. To, whom she encounters in her travels.

Many who see Dream! at a glance likely won’t understand what it is that it’s trying to achieve. It occasionally has unexpected tonal shifts akin to the work of Guillermo Del Toro, making it clear that things in Lek’s world can be just as dark as they can bright. Through and through, this is a fable, and as such, the story’s logic works on its own narrative frequency. This isn’t a realistic portrayal of a young girl dealing with the unpleasant truths of the outside world. Instead, there’s a good-natured benignity to the film that aims squarely for feel-good; not quite in a polished Disney way, but in a fantastic way that can still occasionally show some teeth if need be.

Above all else, Dream! is a pure passion project for those involved, and it shows. It doesn’t offer the extravagant budget slickness of a Hollywood production, but it doesn’t need to. That’s a part of its overall charm. This is an underdog situation wherein a group of talented people have come together to make something unique to their world. Dream! certainly captures that, and is most definitely worth appreciating.

[Note: A screener was kindly provided for this review. Dream! will be premiering at the Rhode Island Film Festival on Sunday, August 10th at 8:00pm at the Providence Showcase Cinema.]

- Tim Salmons

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