Dream a Little Dream (1989)

0% of critics liked it
(9 reviews)
65% of users liked it
(9,045 ratings)

In 1987-88, a quartet of films with the same basic body-switching premise deluged theaters: Like Father, Like Son (1987), Big (1988), Vice Versa (1988), and 18 Again (1988). One year later, Dream a Little Dream (1989) followed suit. Coleman Ettinger (Jason Robards) is forever scolding the local high… More In 1987-88, a quartet of films with the same basic body-switching premise deluged theaters: Like Father, Like Son (1987), Big (1988), Vice Versa (1988), and 18 Again (1988). One year later, Dream a Little Dream (1989) followed suit. Coleman Ettinger (Jason Robards) is forever scolding the local high school students who use his yard as a shortcut to and from their nearby school. Coleman is not a crotchety old coot, however. He's deeply in love with his wife Gena (Piper Laurie) and is good friends with his next-door neighbor Ike (Harry Dean Stanton). In fact, Coleman is looking for a mystical way to preserve his and Gena's lives forever by transferring their consciousness into the bodies of younger people. One day, student Bobby Keller (Corey Feldman) has a bicycle mishap with Coleman while cutting through the yard, and their minds change places. Now Coleman has the brain of a teenager, while young Bobby uses Coleman's wisdom and life experience to win over the girl of his dreams. Dream a Little Dream was the directorial debut of Marc Rocco, son of actor Alex Rocco, who costars in a supporting role. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 54 min.
Directed By: Marc Rocco
Genres: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Comedy

In Theaters: Mar 3, 1989 Wide
On DVD: Oct 21, 2003
Studio: Vestron Video

Critic Reviews

Walter Goodman, New York Times
This is one incoherent movie; I have a hunch that the writers could not figure it out, either.
Richard Harrington, Washington Post
Folks staggering out of Dream a Little Dream may well wonder what the heck they just saw.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Dream a Little Dream is an aggressively unwatchable movie.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
A relentless soundtrack beats throughout the film, and the scenes cut quickly from one location to another in an attempt at 'clever' editing that merely adds to the clouded feel of the movie.
Kevin Carr, 7M Pictures
The best things in this movie were Meredith Salinger's breasts.
Leo Goldsmith, Not Coming to a Theater Near You
Total crap.

Read all 6 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

A strange, but fun tale of body switching, and it's got both Coreys! I highly recommend it, it's a great teen movie.
Phil H

The two Corey's again hmmm odd plot here, nothing original but plenty of holes leaving you wondering what on earth is really happening. There is no proper explainations as to how and why the body/mind switch happens and then it all becomes nothing at the end?? huh? Poor… More
The two Corey's again hmmm odd plot here, nothing original but plenty of holes leaving you wondering what on earth is really happening. There is no proper explainations as to how and why the body/mind switch happens and then it all becomes nothing at the end?? huh? Poor performances from all really, many of the bigger names are possibly there simply to cash in on being with the younger stars, to show they are still hip hehe Can't recommend unless you love the two Corey's.
Dean M

The thought of people being able to communicate through dreams are cool.
Jason S

A wierd little movie.
Michael G

I hate this movie more than life itself. Watching the douchebag twins in action (one of which wishes he was Michael Jackson) makes getting gangbanged in a prison shower seem like Caddyshack.
Lee K

after viewing Licence To Drive and Lost Boys, I was totally looking forward to this flick. A major dissapointment, it sucked large!
Leo L

The Corey's are at their most heightened fashion in this one, although the plot wasn't such a hit.