When word came down that Jessica Chastain (Crimson Peak) was making an erotic thriller, it was an announcement that felt both intriguing and out of left field. An acclaimed character actress taking on a risky role that requires both physical and emotional vulnerability — a hook that promises a well-acted thriller for the ages. The execution and result, however, could be something different altogether. In his 2025 film Dreams, director Michel Franco’s (Memory) second collaboration with Jessica Chastain, Franco weaves a classic tale of forbidden lust turned into dangerous obsession.
Isaac Hernández as Fernando in DREAMS. Photo courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment. @Teorema 2025.
Jennifer McCarthy (Chastain), the daughter of a wealthy socialite family, has a secret affair with Mexican ballet dancer and undocumented immigrant Fernando Rodriguez (Isaac Hernández). As their steamy relationship runs the risk of being discovered by others and both carry huge stakes of being found out, tensions rise to an unforgettable, tense yet polarizing conclusion. What separates this thriller from others is Franco’s atmosphere-focused approach. It’s his cold, detached atmosphere that leaves room for his actors to breath and deliver complex performances, producing an avant-garde answer to the classic sleazy thrillers of the ‘90s. As Franco’s execution and Chastain’s gripping internal performance provide a great mix of subversive entertainment, it’s the total result that could prove to be less than satisfactory.
Jessica Chastain as Jennifer in DREAMS. Photo courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment. @Teorema 2025.
Where many thrillers have succeeded (and failed), Dreams aims to explore the thin nuanced line between lust and obsession. As we delve deep into this steamy affair between Jennifer and Fernando (the film begins with Fernando sneaking into America to see Jennifer, their secret relationship already being established at this time), we notice the key differences between each character in their own worlds. First, there’s obviously the class differences. Jennifer serves as a high ranking official in her family’s non-profit foundation, making herself party to her family’s microagressive remarks about other races (those remarks especially coming from her brother Jake, played by Rupert Friend (The Phoenician Scheme)). On Fernando’s end, he strolls the streets, dancing for passersby, trying to grab anyone’s attention and get a spot within a ballet company. On a deeper level, there’s the film’s title. Jennifer’s dream involves keeping Fernando to herself, keeping him in her getaway home in Mexico where he doesn’t run the risk of being deported (or run the risk of being discovered by her family); this obviously conflicts with Fernando’s dream of being successful in the ballet company and forging his own path, with or without Jennifer’s help. Chastain delivers terrific work as a woman who is fighting for control while losing control as her obsession towards her lover goes to the point of no return. Isaac Hernández (Someone Has to Die), in his third acting credit, tries his best to hold his own next to Chastain, but, the difference in acting quality is sorely felt. In his solo scenes, however, he has more room for his character to breathe
L-R: Isaac Hernández as Fernando, Rupert Friend as Jake, and Jessica Chastain as Jennifer in DREAMS. Photo courtesy of Greenwich Entertainment. @Teorema 2025.
Falling in line with his other films (including 2021’s Sundown and 2023’s Memory), the atmosphere-focused approach of Dreams gives the actors room to develop their characters through internal, passionate emotion. However, the meaningful intent is not enough to provide a totally engaging film. In terms of eroticism, the naughty talk between the characters is titillating, the sex scenes are both passionate and coldly detached (especially in an intense one-take shot), and, overall, the scenes of passion are tastefully done. But, amidst all the drama, romance, and intrigue, there’s not much else going for this film. It feels like all atmosphere, not much engagement; all steamy passion but not much story. The film eventually builds to a violent climax that is … as surprising as it polarizing. The out-of-left-field violent energy this film builds but is not as earned as it could be, lacking any bits of foreshadowing or subtle nods towards this conclusion. For this release, the supplemental features are pretty bare bones. For audio, there’re 5.1 and 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio; for the subtitles, there’s English SDH, and there are multiple trailers including this film; Love, Brooklyn (2025); and The Milky Way (2025).
Dreams Special Features:
- Trailers
Available on Blu-Ray and DVD May 26th, 2026.
For more information or to purchase, head to the official Kino Lorber Dreams webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews
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