American Dreamer

Directed with claustrophobic, docudrama-style intensity by Derrick Borte and featuring a career-best dramatic performance by [Jim] Gaffigan, "American Dreamer" is a dark and intense and sometimes brutally violent slice of rotted life.

Gaffigan brings plenty of gravitas to "American Dreamer," a low-key neo-noir that starts out as a character sketch about a broken man, and then takes an even darker turn.

Since none of the characters are terribly bright or likable, the experience of watching the film is like being trapped inside a locked car stuck in neutral.

"American Dreamer" turns over several repellent plot points before settling on a cheap ironic ending.

A tightly wound, mostly believable mix of genre riffs and real-world nightmares.

It's a far cry from Gaffigan's typical optimism, and not anywhere near as funny. But as is often the case in comedy, American Dreamer works because it feels true, and bleakly, unapologetically possible.

An average thriller made better by a dramatic turn by the always funny Jim Gaffigan.

It takes some turns that feel very contributed, but you're watching this basically to watch Jim Gaffigan work and do something we haven't seen him do before. And in that regard, it's very rewarding.

This is a by-the-books crime movie about a nebbish guy who gets himself into trouble he can't navigate.

It's a captivating ride.