RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Found a Bug? Squash It! Report Bugs Here
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / I Dreamed of Africa
I Dreamed of Africa

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
Bookmark and Share

I Dreamed of Africa (2000)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
9 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

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.

Runtime: 1 hr 55 mins

Genre: Dramas

US Box Office: $0

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

[See More Credits]

Reviews for I Dreamed of Africa

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

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.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
01/01/00
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Ebert & Roeper | comment Comment
01/01/00
Ebert & Roeper
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
03/24/02
Boston Phoenix
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinemaphile.org | comment Comment
03/10/07
David Keyes
David Keyes
Cinemaphile.org

Beautiful landscape photography aside, do we really care about a single mother so out of it she marries a man more in love with hunting wild game than with her?

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
01/01/00
E! Online
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This truth-based account of the life of Italian environmentalist Kuki Gallmann is astonishingly bereft of dramatic momentum.

comment Comment
01/01/00
Bob Strauss
Bob Strauss
Los Angeles Daily News

In I Dreamed Of Africa, the story-telling is not just problematic, it's crushingly dull and painfully laboured.

Full Review Source: Jam! Movies | comment Comment
01/01/00
Bruce Kirkland
Bruce Kirkland
Jam! Movies

You should avoid this film and take a trip to the zoo instead.

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/08/02
Chris Gore
Chris Gore
Film Threat

The rambling narrative has no point, except to neaten up the details of -- and eliminate everything interesting in -- Kuki's life.

comment Comment
01/01/00
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
St. Paul Pioneer Press

A beautiful travelogue and a squandered opportunity.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
07/24/01
Christabel Padmore
Christabel Padmore
Apollo Guide

As a book adaptation, the story feels strangely abridged, as if the screenplay is based on every other page of the book, willy-nilly.

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Filmcritic.com

The director is unable to breathe life into this tale of woman against nature.

comment Comment
01/01/00
David Germain
David Germain
Associated Press

Moviegoers looking for exotic scenery and a good cry may find the picture enjoyable.

Full Review Source: Christian Science Monitor | comment Comment
01/01/00
David Sterritt
David Sterritt
Christian Science Monitor

Similarly anesthetized, director Hugh Hudson keeps the movie rambling and episodic.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
01/01/00
Dennis Lim
Dennis Lim
Village Voice

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.

Full Review Source: Oregonian | comment Comment
01/01/00
Diana Abu-Jaber
Diana Abu-Jaber
Oregonian

What must have been gripping in the book somehow got lost in the translation to screen.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
01/01/00
Doris Toumarkine
Doris Toumarkine
Film Journal International

With such good raw material, you have to wonder why the screenplay, direction and dialogue are so flat.

Full Review Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | comment Comment
01/01/00
Elfrieda Abbe
Elfrieda Abbe
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Kim Basinger has selected an honest attempt to demarcate actress-defining moments. Unfortunately, she has chosen…poorly.

Full Review Source: Nitrate Online | comment Comment
01/01/00
Elias Savada
Elias Savada
Nitrate Online

Pic's lack of dramatic rhythm and narrative continuity is exacerbated by Scott Thomas' rough editing.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
01/01/00
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

When the characters' minds and motivations are frustratingly closed off to us, all we're left with is the dim hope that something adventurous will happen instead. And when it doesn't, there's no hope left at all.

Full Review Source: EricDSnider.com | comment Comment
01/01/00
Eric D. Snider
Eric D. Snider
EricDSnider.com
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by rotten rating; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 >> >|
See All

More Movies

Coming Soon in Australia
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

69% 69% Sherlock Holmes 26/12
39% 39% The Lovely Bones 26/12
100% 100% The French Kissers 26/12
84% 84% Bright Star 26/12
86% 86% Nowhere Boy 26/12
18% 18% Alvin and the Chipmunk… 26/12
10% 10% Did You Hear About the… 26/12
05% 05% Old Dogs 26/12

What’s Hot On RT

New Alice Trailer

New Alice Trailer

Tim Burton returns to the rabbit hole

20 Must-See Films

20 Must-See Films

Your essential Summer Movie Guide

James Cameron

James Cameron

We look at the Avatar director's career

Golden Globes!

Golden Globes!

See who got nominated for the awards

Other News

  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Bryan Singer Returning to X-Men for First Class Source: Superhero Hype
100
  • Mark Strong Talks Kick-Ass, John Carter, and Robin Hood Source: Collider.com
1
  • How Avatar Happened: The Path to Innovation Source: CinemaBlend.com
19
  • Rob Marshall Says Pirates 4 Is Still a Maybe Source: ComingSoon.net
32
  • ET Teases Iron Man 2 Teaser Source: Collider.com
28
  • Tobey Maguire Refutes Hobbit Rumors Source: Hollywood Reporter
9
  • Prince of Persia Featurette Posted Source: Yahoo! Movies
4
  • Trailer Bulletin: Robin Hood Source: ComingSoon.net
61
  • Mel Gibson Plans a Mexican Vacation Source: Variety
8
  • New Iron Man 2 Clue Posted Source: Screen Rant
26
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Critics Consensus: Avatar Is Certified Fresh
162
  • Awards Tour 2009: Golden Globe Noms Here!
144
  • Total Recall: James Cameron Movies
85
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Girlpower Rules Again with Princess at #1
70
  • Awards Tour 2009: Inglourious Basterds Lead Critics Choice Noms
44
  • Awards Tour 2009: Avatar Best Picture at NYFCO!
38
  • Awards Tour 2009: SAG Nominations Are In!
38
  • Awards Tour 2009: The Hurt Locker Dominates Boston Society of Film Critics
18
  • Awards Tour 2009: LAFCA: The Hurt Locker Tops List
12
  • Awards Tour 2009: The Hurt Locker Wins New York Film Critics Circle!
6
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
23
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • RT on DVD: Wassup, Bruno
3
  • Scott Hicks Talks The Boys Are Back
0
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
15
  • Richard Kelly chats about The Box
2
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • I Dreamed of Africa at Rotten Tomatoes
  • I Dreamed of Africa at IGN

Fresh Links

Featured
40 Best Films of the 2000s
40 Best Films of the 2000s External Link

Last week, Moviefone offered us their worst films of the 2000s. Now see their 40 best!

Virtuoso Vistas of The Lovely Bones
Virtuoso Vistas of The Lovely Bones External Link

Techland examines the visual splendor of Peter Jackson's upcoming film.

Worst Hollywood Remakes of the Decade
Worst Hollywood Remakes of the Decade External Link

Movieline gets bravely swept away with the recycled refuse of the 2000s.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter External Link

Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.

Competitions
Win Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 prize packs
Win Alvin and the Chipmunks 2 prize packs External Link

We're giving away a bunch of stuff from the upcoming Squeakquel.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.