When the company UBER was founded in 2009, there has probably never been an important invention that took advantage of another invention (The Smartphone and the internet) more than this company. UBER is the perfect merging of technologies that since 2009, has changed the world. Now anyone in the world can dial up their smart phone and hail a car driven by an ordinary person in the most efficient way, that uses amazing technology. UBER has generated billions of revenue for not only the company but also for millions of people around the world.
Like most things, even though UBER is a fantastic technology, there is a downside. The movie “America Dreamer”, released in 2018, starring Jim Gaffigan is about this downside. Actor and stand up comedian Jim Gaffigan plays Cam, a down on his luck UBER driver who is divorced and unfortunately for him, has little money, little prospects for a high paying job and owes child support payments. Cam’s desperation for money increases when it looks like he may have to go to prison for missing too many payments to his wife – a sad comentary on the realities of life and marriage in this country. There is one scene where the police show up as Cam and his x-wife are on the front lawn and he is pleading just to talk to his son for a few minutes. One of the saddest and most pathetic moments of this desperate man’s existence.
One day Cam picks up a vicious drug dealer who pulls a gun on another dealer while Cam looks on. Any person would have immediately driven off after seeing this, but Cam does not, setting the scene for a series of events that are entirely based on Cam’s desperation to get money. Unfortunately too many of Cam’s actions are far fetched, even despite his desperation to save his life. Nobody would do most of the things Cam does in this story which for the most part represent some serious flaws in the screenplay.
The acting is very good both with Jim Gaffigan and Robbie Jones who plays Mazz, the drug dealing criminal Cam picks up.
Once again the Rotten Tomatoes review of 53% is way off with my rating in the 75% range, mostly for Gaffigan’s acting which is outstanding. With Gaffigan’s acting ability in many films over the years, he just might be the first stand-comedian to win an Academy Award. I give American Dreamer a solid recommendation, despite the occasional flaws.
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