Like the star's acting, the movie is bland, full of good intentions and generally as stiff as a fireplace poker.
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
Director Hugh Hudson (Chariots of Fire) visits adversities as if they were stops on a photo safari.
Out of Africa, which was so bland I'd almost forgotten it, packs a dramatic wallop compared with the enervated storytelling in I Dreamed of Africa.
The film version is a beautiful, fascinating and moving picture of a courageous life in a strange and humbling paradise.
Hudson and Gallman both aim for the heart rather than the head, and this is heart-wrenching stuff.
The film, lackadaisically directed by Hugh Hudson, never really makes it humanly clear what keeps Kuki going, but the African vistas are breathtaking -- you were expecting otherwise? -- and so is Kim Basinger.
It's gorgeous, sure, but I Dream of Africa is surprisingly dull and predictable in its characterizations.
A dream of a substantial production; a wisp of a movie that dissipates the moment you leave the theater.
It's debatable how well Gallman's story is served by Basinger and director Hugh Hudson.
Hugh Hudson's film plays curiously like a friendly documentary of Kuki's life, especially with the voice-over narration that sounds like it belongs in an idealistic travelogue.
Even in the most picturesque segments of I Dreamed of Africa, a film that often has the feel of an epic travelogue, something is missing.
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