Before I Wake (2016)

Directed by: Mike Flanagan | 97 minutes | drama, fantasy, horror, thriller | Actors: Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Annabeth Gish, Jacob Tremblay, Scottie Thompson, Dash Mihok, Jay Karnes, Lance E. Nichols, Kyla Deaver, Avis-Marie Barnes, Jason Alan Smith, Ginger McNamara, Courtney Bell, Hunter Wenzel

Dutch own Marco Borsato already sang it, “most dreams are deception”. But there are always a few that become reality. In ‘Before I Wake’ these are mainly the fantasies of a Cody (Jacob Tremblay), whose dreams become reality are initially well liked by foster parents Mark (Thomas Jane) and Jessie (Kate Bosworth). However, when the dreams turn into pure nightmares, it sets the stage for a promising horror film, which does little to deliver on its promise.

When films deal with the theme of “dreams”, the makers often go all out. The most exuberant sets are pulled out of the closet and no concept is too crazy. Director Mike Flanagan must not have fully agreed with that, because the visualization of the dreams in ‘Before I Wake’ is rather small. It is kept extremely simple. That’s a shame as nightmares lend themselves extremely well to a potential horror classic. Instead, the decision is made to focus more on the characters, not the most obvious decision in this horror film, but it doesn’t turn out completely wrong either.

The cast is doing very well. That is not surprising with this (small) group of people. Horror is gaining more and more prestige as a genre, which means that the viewer is stuck with the experienced Bosworth and Jane. Add to that the Oscar-nominated Tremblay and there’s a cast that is almost impossible to deliver a bad performance. To reinforce this, Flanagan not only gives the viewer a horror, but also a family drama, in which the actors can better use their talents in this case. The problem, however, is that this gives the film some very uninteresting subplots, making the whole less cohesive. That might work for the family drama, but a horror works best when it’s simple and to the point.

‘Before I Wake’ is ultimately a horror film that doesn’t really convince through visual power. It is also a drama that loses the emotional punch due to the different storylines. The combination can certainly work, but not in this form. A film that is saved by strong performances by the strong cast but has too few memorable scenes, moments or horror elements to really convince. Again, “most dreams are deception”.