"I Dream Too Much" is a film that impressed me because of the acting...and that's probably reason enough to make the film worth seeing for some of you. Diane Ladd might not be a name you recognize, though it's very likely you've seen her in films or television over the years. Now at 80, I can only say that her acting is like a fine wine...it's improving with age.

The film is about a rather odd college graduate who is ambivalent about applying to law school. Law school is really her mother's dream...and Dora (Eden Brolin) is much more of a dreamer and wants to experience life before considering doing anything as mundane as graduate school. But her mother is insistent...and Dora seems to feel that she might as well do as her mother wants without arguing. However, when Dora ends up going to spend time taking care of her injured Great Aunt Vera (Ladd),he plans and her outlook for the future end up changing significantly.

While Eden Brolin is quite likable in the lead, I was a bit disappointed in some aspects of the character she portrayed. At times, it was very easy for me to dislike Dora...especially when she gave out her Great Aunt's private diaries for others to read...and without telling Vera! This and a couple other thoughtless moments made it hard for me to love the film...a serious problem with the script. Still, with acting this good, it's not a film I want folks to neglect. It was nice to see how Brolin did in her first starring role and I can only assume she's learned a bit from her father, Josh, and her grandfather, James Brolin.

But the real star of the film was definitely Ladd. While she was a supporting character, she dominated all the scenes in which she appeared. She made her lines seem less like an actress reading a script and more like her actually being Great Aunt Vera. She was simply amazing to watch.

It's not too often that we see a "coming-of-age" film that features an almost all female cast. Usually, the coming-of age movies center around boys or young men. If and when women are the center focus, it usually involves some sort of relationship or romance with a guy. Refreshingly and fortunate for us, Texas filmmaker Katie Cokinos flips the genre on its ear with 'I Dream Too Much', which focuses on a college-bound young woman who discovers herself, while staying with her great aunt in upstate New York.

The film is lighthearted and easy going, with almost nothing at stake, but the dialogue between the college girl Dora (Eden Brolin) and her aunt Vera (Diane Ladd) is quite charming and fun. It worked for 'Gilmore Girls' and works here too. Cokinos puts the romance/relationship/drugs on the back burner here, and instead tells a story of Dora, who would rather be with her friends in Brazil before college, rather than have her overbearing mother force her into law school and to ace the LSAT. To escape the hell, Dora arranges an extended stay with her great aunt Vera (Ladd),who has just suffered a broken foot and needs help around the house.

I wouldn't go as far as to say Vera and Dora hit it off very well. In fact, Vera is as cold as the bitter New York exterior at first, but it makes for some witty and funny dialogue between the two. Soon, Dora fins a few letters and diaries from Vera's famous literary uncle who has passed, as Dora begins to spark some new life into her creative mind and soul. She even has visions and dreams in the style of Jane Austen from time to time, which this movie has a ton of references too as well. It's quite a charming film with some fun characters and decent dialogue.

There are some musical and funny moments when Dora meets Abbey (Danielle Brooks),who works at the local clothing boutique, and who wants to become a famous singer and get discovered by the big time music producer who lives in town. All these characters in their own way help Dora find her creative and expressive self, and it's a joy to watch, despite that there's just not a whole lot that happens, besides some great character transformations and development, along with some solid, witty dialogue.

Eden Brolin is a newcomer to the film world and she delivers a wonderful performance. She's as cute as she is witty, and portrays a very realistic and likable young woman, trying to figure it all out. She's one to watch out for in the coming months. Diane Ladd is of course amazing here and shows that she still has that incredible talent that she's shown us for years now. 'I Dream Too Much' is a solid film that's easy to take in.

RECOMMENDED!

A real life coming of age film. The main character is 20 years old and has just finished college. Her close friends are embarking on different paths and her mom has her own dreams she wants her daughter to fulfill. The script is beautiful in that it captures real life experiences within family without being over dramatic or too Hollywood. I can picture myself as each one of the characters as a past, current or future me! The cinematography is spectacular. The snowy scenes are dreamy and frequently capture an artistic sense that moves your heart with memories that may not be yours! Don't miss this warming peak into these charming characters' lives.