Olympic Dreams

The engaging "Olympic Dreams" plays like "Lost in Translation" at the Winter Games.

Olympic Dreams is a strong, emotionally-pure indie drama that took my breath away.

The story of how Olympic Dreams got made is more compelling than the movie itself.

"Olympic Dreams" is a slight but sweet story set inside a big, colorful, dramatic world.

"Olympic Dreams" is a wispy, quasi-romantic dramedy whose affecting moments are eclipsed by its overly random, sometimes awkwardly played and constructed narrative.

What if instead of the drama of athletes risking life, limb and loss for their countries, the Olympic Games set the scene for a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy? Such is the premise of "Olympic Dreams."

There are no scenes revolving around intense athletic competitions. Instead, Olympic Dreams takes a close look at the internal battles of insecurities that can prevent people from pursuing what they really want in life.

Gorgeously shot and led by two ace performances, Olympic Dreams is the type of adult romantic comedy that simply does not get produced these days.

To navigate such a complex environment with a whole array of limitations and bureaucratic barriers is a complicated task, and Teicher manages to deliver a sweet tale of dreams and expectations. There is not much more than we can ask.

Kroll is fine in his semi-dramatic turn as a romantically forlorn volunteer dentist, but Pappas is remarkable. She elicits a surprisingly tender performance.