Basinger has wisely bided her time and chosen her post-Oscar project carefully. It’s a pity that in this empty spectacle, she comes off lost in the bush.
I Dreamed of Africa (2000)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:87
Fresh:8
Rotten:79
Average Rating:3.6/10
Consensus: The straightforward retelling of Kuki Gallman's life in Africa neither moves or entertains the viewer.
Synopsis: Based on the book of the same name, I DREAMED OF AFRICA is the true story of Kuki Gallman (Kim Basinger), a wealthy Italian socialite whose life changes abruptly after a near fatal car crash.... Based on the book of the same name, I DREAMED OF AFRICA is the true story of Kuki Gallman (Kim Basinger), a wealthy Italian socialite whose life changes abruptly after a near fatal car crash. Vowing to appreciate her life more deeply, she agrees to marry Paolo Gallman (Vincent Perez), a man she does not know well, and sets off with her young son, Emmanuelle (Liam Aiken), for a new life in the countryside of Kenya. A cattle ranch in the Lakipani region of Kenya becomes the Gallmans' new home, far away from the creature comforts of their posh household in Italy. Kuki is beset with the daily challenges of life in Africa, including harsh weather, dangerous animals, and the absence of her husband, who spends days away hunting with his new friends. Forced to face many challenges alone, Kuki experiences a cultural awakening, inspired by an intense and emotional connection to the land, animals, and rhythm of Africa. Finding her new purpose in life, Kuki becomes an activist for endangered African animals, most notably elephants and rhinoceroses. Her resulting battles with those opposing her ideas provide the greatest conflicts in this inspiring and lyrical film that features an impassioned performance by Basinger. Director Hugh Hudson effectively captures the breathtaking beauty of both the African landscape and the animals that Kuki dedicated her life to help save. [More]
Starring: Kim Basinger, Vincent Perez, Eva Marie Saint, Liam Aiken
Starring: Kim Basinger, Vincent Perez, Eva Marie Saint, Liam Aiken, Allison Daugherty Smith, Robert Loggia
Director: Hugh Hudson
Director: Hugh Hudson
Screenwriter: Paula Milne, Susan Shilliday
Producer: Stanley R. Jaffe, Allyn Stewart
Composer: Maurice Jarre
Reviews for I Dreamed of Africa
With such good raw material, you have to wonder why the screenplay, direction and dialogue are so flat.
Kenya is portrayed as a sort of rough resort, and the thorny questions behind issues like conservationism vs. cultural insensitivity don't get looked into.
Ultimately the movie is alluring and respectful -- its sadness may be what saves it from becoming sensationalist or trite.
The scenery is impressive, but there's little energy in the film, and even as a stately drama-cum- travelogue, it's curiously aloof.
Hudson is hamstrung by a script that strives to touch on every episode in Gallmann's life (or book) without knitting them into a coherent whole.
The writing itself is a bit immature, What the film does best is depict the unpredictable rhythm and dangerous allure of Africa.
Far from a great movie, it nonetheless does its job as a family adventure and saga of a woman's personal growth.
I'm beginning to suspect that Basinger's Academy Award winning turn in LA. Confidential was a fluke.
Da la impresión de que estamos viendo un largo documental de National Geographic, excelentemente fotografiado pero nada más
There's a major performance here by Basinger but no movie to go with it.
Watching I Dreamed of Africa is like watching paint dry -- except that the paint never actually does dry.
Shows how our multileveled relationship with a place can be spiritual — adding a depth and richness to all our days.
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