Imagine a country where the government goes to war for all the wrong reasons and more people vote for a pop idol than their next leader. No, not Australia, America! It’s a nifty tagline and a scorching indictment of contemporary culture, to which American Dreamz heavily aspires. As host and producer of America’s biggest TV show, Grant merges his foppish / rouge routine to create the foppish rogue Martin Tweed. On a ratings grab he orders freaks-only, led by trailer-trash Sally (Moore) and her spin-savvy manager. Needing a ratings bump of his own is inarticulate President Staton (Quaid) who signs on to judge the finale; news that wakens a terrorist cell who have primed a Broadway loving ex-pat Iraqi. He’s the wild-card but can Sally’s military boyfriend, wounded after a one-day tour of Iraq, save her chances and the President while he’s at it? Find out after the break.

Weitz mined crude gold in American Pie and, no stranger to broad comedy, takes on the absurdity of pop culture, political and media manipulation (see above) with varied results. A brutal sense of humour pervades the story that is vicious, insightful and quick-witted. At least, at first. Having set up the potential to stab a very sharp stick in the eye of entertainment, he inexplicably holds back for much of the film – the result is neither satirical enough, nor funny enough to fully sustain his story. That said, Weitz redeems himself with a show-stopping finale: were we half so fortunate at the end of Big Brother. Having made-good its lack of courage, American Dreamz checks out as a ‘Casey Donovan’ – big heart, near-miss.

// COLIN FRASER