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What Dreams May Come
1998 113 min United States of America PG-13 12+
★7.2
Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Director: Vincent Ward
🎭 Based on
«What Dreams May Come»
byRichard Matheson
Trailers
EN
EN
Description
Chris Nielsen dies to find himself in a heaven more amazing than he could have ever dreamed of. There is one thing missing: his wife. After he died, his wife Annie killed herself and went to hell. Chris decides to risk eternity in Hades for the small chance that he will be able to bring her back to heaven.
Budget:
$85M
US Gross:
$55.38M
Worldwide:
$71.49M
Starring
Robin Williams
Actor
Cuba Gooding Jr.
Actor
Annabella Sciorra
Actor
Awards
Academy Awards 1999
— Best Visual Effects
Academy Awards 1999
— Best Production Design
Key opinion
What Dreams May Come is a polarizing visual odyssey that splits audiences between those who find it a profoundly moving exploration of eternal love and those who view it as an overly sentimental, manipulative melodrama. While the film's artistic production design and Robin Williams's committed dramatic performance are widely acknowledged, its narrative weight and emotional sincerity remain points of intense debate.
| Acting | Robin Williams anchors the film with a deeply sincere and versatile performance that captures the complexity of both grief and enduring love. | |
| Production | The production design creates a stunning, painterly aesthetic that renders heaven and hell as uniquely immersive, vivid worlds. | |
| Emotion | The film’s overt sentimentality and emotional tone divide viewers; some find it a magical, tear-jerking experience, while others perceive it as contrived and manipulative. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative structure and screenplay split opinion between those who see a powerful, soul-affirming exploration of spiritual themes and those who find the plot predictable, preachy, or morally rigid. | |
| Cinematography | Technical perceptions of the cinematography and score are inconsistent, with some praising the atmospheric world-building while others find specific artistic choices ineffective or uninspired. |