Echoes of Badlands, Terrence Malick's tale of young love on the run, hang heavy over Mean Dreams.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Feb 3, 2021

Outside beautiful fall scenery, there nothing particularly moving about Mean Dreams...

| Original Score: 2/5 | Jan 28, 2020

Familiarity doesn't always yield tedium, but it's hard to muster much enthusiasm for Mean Dreams' sleepy regionalist remix of genre tropes and images.

| Nov 9, 2017

In one of his last acting roles, the late [Bill] Paxton does an amazing job capturing the essence of a true villain - and it isn't because of the guns or moustache.

| Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 20, 2017

The story is driven by character, not coincidence, with the bonus of Paxton giving a powerfully nasty performance as the protective dad from hell.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Apr 12, 2017

Paxton, in one of his last performances, is a diabolical blend of fresh-faced wholesomeness and pure evil.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 28, 2017

Here comes Nathan Morlando's Mean Dreams to remind us all that things are bad in the heartland of this here good ole U.S. of A.

| Mar 27, 2017

'Mean Dreams' follows two depressed teens -- and overflows with dismal scenes. But fine acting by everyone wins us over before it's done.

| Mar 26, 2017

Paxton's last completed movie before his passing, Mean Dreams may signify his own life journey in the title, surviving Hollywood in his own brash and heartfelt way. And in the generation gap road movie to basically nowhere - it would seem to be the point.

| Mar 25, 2017

"Mean Dreams" begins with an interesting premise, infused with a few chilling scenes, but the showdown at the end of the film featuring Paxton is not as intense as the situation demands.

| Mar 24, 2017

"Mean Dreams" is a decent diversion, and just knowing it is one of Bill Paxton's last movies is reason enough to see it.

| Mar 24, 2017

...has a done-before feel but the caliber of acting by the young stars and the menacing performance by Bill Paxton as the ruthless dad make "Mean Dreams" a cut above.

| Original Score: B | Mar 24, 2017

... works best in its quieter, character-driven moments, which are overwhelmed by clichés and contrivances along the way.

| Mar 24, 2017

Directed with Malick-ian subtlety and texture by sophomore director Nathan Morlando, Mean Dreams is a familiar, but still exciting tale of young love on the run.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 24, 2017

An uncomplicated film sustained thanks to its magnificent naturalistic photography and the loyalty to its humble beginnings, without pretentious tricks or devices. [Full review in Spanish]

| Original Score: 6/10 | Mar 23, 2017

Mean Dreams is compelling, driven by the fearsome performance of Paxton, whose legacy is only strengthened by one of his final performances.

| Mar 20, 2017

Not a great film in the same vein as Badlands and Pretty Poison, but a very good one that is well worth seeing.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Mar 20, 2017

Tepid teen romance turned implausible thriller is just about saved by a powerful, and unusually disturbing, performance from Bill Paxton (one of his last).

| Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 19, 2017

Mean Dreams starts with promise. It doesn't live up to that promise.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Mar 17, 2017

One of those sparse projects where you wonder what excited the filmmakers through each stage of the production process, and why the answer to that question isn't more obvious.

| Original Score: 1.5/4 | Mar 17, 2017