Margot Robbie has become quite the force of cinematic nature, moving effortlessly from simply starring in films to ushering them into existence. That is the case with her latest, the Depression-era “heist” flick, Dreamland—produced by her LuckyChap Entertainment. Knowing that may help explain the passion for a story that doesn’t exactly present her character in the best of lights.
Robbie is Allison Wells—half of a bank robbery couple whose other half doesn’t fare so well in their getaway. As the film commences, we find Wells seeking shelter, nursing a bullet wound to the leg that has hobbled her.
Meanwhile, we meet Eugene Evans (Finn Cole, Peaky Blinders) who is a young man in search of a purpose. Prospects are not good. This is the Depression and he and his blended family are in Texas, right smack in the middle of the Dustbowl that suffocated the Midwest from a drought that produced the most awe-inspiring dust tornados, adding unforeseen troubles to a population ready to do anything to make a life for their family.
Evans and his best friend Jo Garza (Stephen Dinh) spend a lot of time walking around town and talking about their dreams—however farfetched they may be. Right about the time that Garzo reveals to his buddy that he and his family are escaping the Dustbowl for aspirational hopes for the California Dream, news ricochets through town that a bank robbery suspect may be in their town seeking refuge and medical attention.
The pals decide that they are going to make it their mission to find Wells and collect that $10,000 bounty. They agree to meet up that night and canvas the nooks and crannies of their Texas town in hopes of finding Wells and playing a part in bringing her to justice. The thing is… the fugitive is hiding out in the barn at Evans’ family farm and Evans discovers that fact soon after returning home that day. He is struck by her immediately. Sure, she’s absolutely gorgeous and greatly in need of medical aid. Without even thinking, he swings into action—retrieving the family First Aid kit. Gene gets the bullet out and wraps the wound. Now, she needs to rest so that it may heal. But she doesn’t have all that much time as surely the law will find her sooner than later.
In fact, Evans’ stepfather George Evans (Travis Fimmel) is a police officer.
A few things have contributed to where Eugene finds himself as he discovers Wells in the family barn. His father walked out on him and his mother when he was just five. He believes that his pop is in Mexico and wouldn’t you know it… that is exactly where Wells seeks to go when she is well enough. That aspect is appealing to Eugene, so too is the fact that as he spends time with the fugitive, there is no question he is starting to fall for her. Is she manipulating him to get the help she needs (a car for one) or is she becoming fond of the innocent young man?
It’s hard to say, honestly, as Robbie plays that aspect of her role close to the heart—pun intended. As we learn more about the robbery and how the escape left people dead, including a little girl. She swears up and down that she had nothing to do with that and that is simply the police amping up the evil committed with hopes of preventing anyone from doing exactly what Eugene is doing. Only two people know the truth of the events of that day, and one of them is dead. The other is the one telling the story. But Eugene is falling hard, and he’s never been in love before and hasn’t even ever had a girlfriend. So, this-worldly woman and her wild streak are completely compelling to a young man who wants to see the world, specifically Mexico.
There are moments where Dreamland flirts with being a bit of a Bonnie and Clyde type of story. But, unfortunately, there is only one bank robbery—unlike the string of them that the fellow Depression desperados achieved before their fateful finish. There also is not much that is occurring with Dreamland when Eugene makes his decision to help this woman who has stolen his heart.
First and foremost, Eugene needs a car and unfortunately, Garza can’t part with his family’s vehicle as they are about to drive it to California. Despite not being able to help in that department, he does offer his support emotionally to his friend, something that gets lost in the frenzy of the local law enforcement feeling confident that the injured bank robber is still within city limits. As such, Wells is putting pressure on her human lifeboat to secure a vehicle—even promising him $20,000 to help her get across the border.
All this time, Dreamland is being narrated by his half-sister Phoebe Evans (Darby Camp). She paints a picture of an older brother that she adores. Phoebe believes he is head over heels in love with Wells. Now, she never says one way or the other if the feeling is mutual. Also, this mode of narrative forward movement is tainted. How can this little girl, reflecting back as she tells the tale as a grown woman, know exactly what occurred between two people that she never shared space with?
That creates some issues in hindsight, but luckily for director Miles Joris-Peyrafitte (tapped to helm the remake of Tank Girl), the relationship at the heart of this story takes on a life all its own. Nicolaas Zwart’s script does a decent job of portraying Wells and Eugene’s relationship so that the viewers can get behind this innocent young man making a decision that could haunt him for the rest of his life.
Dreamland truly hits the high gears when Eugene finally decides to steal his stepfather’s truck and hit the road with his fugitive love interest. Their relationship—whatever one wants to call it—is allowed to finally either flourish or perish when the wheels hit the road. The thing is, at this point, we are more than two-thirds of the way through the film. Also, some truths come to light that has Eugene seriously reconsider his decision. For one, does Wells still love her robbery cohort? Isn’t that something you might have wanted to work out before seizing his step dad’s truck? That is just one facet of this landscape that caused issues when looking back over the Dreamland experience.
The film, overall, is wholeheartedly underwhelming. The images of the Dustbowl storms and the one that hits is supremely impressive. How folks of that time even made it through that period of American history is a stunning tribute to the steadfast power of the American people. There is a riveting story there, it’s just that this is not it. Even with the backdrop of a Depression-overwhelmed citizenry, Mother Nature that is doing its best to decimate any kind of hope any people had, and a Bonnie and Clyde type bank robbery that grabbed headlines, yet in truth was only one robbery and it featured the murder of a young girl that belongs squarely on their conscience.
The way that Phoebe narrates and how she is “looking back” at her brother and his time with Wells, one would think that their escape was the stuff of legend. Don’t want to give anything away, but let’s just say that the reality of what Eugene and Wells did is anything but compelling. The fugitive merely needed a way out of her predicament and if she ever cared for Eugene, then it wasn’t as it was portrayed in Zwart’s script or expressed in Robbie’s performance.
Sure, the Oscar-nominated actress commands in her role—but she does so with what little she is given to do and explore emotionally. It’s almost as if the premise of the entire story is itself a hindrance to a captivating narrative. Cole too is terrific. It’s just that what he goes through, we don’t buy it. It is possible that a wide-eyed young man looking for a way out finds it with the beautifully persuasive woman whose morals are anything but solid. What we are given in Dreamland to go on, to fuel our investment in this film, and in turn the two leads who we are supposed to cheer on, is empty.
Grade: C-