patrickontheplanet Sometimes I place movies in my (very long) DVD queue and will not remember why, even after the disk arrives at my home 6 months later and I read the synopsis on the jacket. Someone or something inspired me to add this movie to my queue and I am very glad that I did. I went into this move a complete blank slate outside of knowing of Kuki Gallmann's prior humanitarian and environmental work. This movie had a pleasant, quiet, steady pace about it and was fun to watch. The cinematography was extraordinary and the script was part love, part location and part "coming-of-age." The film tackled a wide berth with regards to the time line and thus followed the contours of many other movies that tackle long time lines: the highlights. I forgot how awesome Kim Basinger was to watch as an actress. I was not bored by this movie at all and enjoyed it quite a bit (mostly for the cinematography, I think). At any rate, I read up on this movie after I watched and can see why this film did not appeal to mass audiences and was a worldwide flop. This is a "thinking person's" film and a story of a "woman's journey." It's just a quiet film about a very unique woman. This movie really captured the essence of living off the land in Kenya and all the significant moments that ensued as Gallmann adjusted to her new life and beyond. Perhaps it did not capture much of Gallmann's humanitarian work, however, it clearly demonstrated the great sacrifices she faced to be able to do what she does. Bravo to a captivating piece of cinema that, until it arrived in my mailbox, I did not know much about.

d_maccarter This isn't Out of Africa (get over it) but it isn't a waste of time either. A fairly well told story about a well off Italian divorcée in her 40's who migrates to Kenya with her young son and a new husband. Set in more modern times than Out of Africa. Domestic problems with the new hubby ensue, he dies, the young son dies, she endures and endeavors to persevere in her new home with the support of her family. After reading all the downer reviews here I was sure this was going to be the world class stinker of all times, but I enjoyed it. It won't win any awards, it's not particularly inspiring and will no doubt end up just being ignored by everyone. Simply the story of a life with all it's ups and downs, loves and hates, hopes and dreams, and the drama that life puts on all our plates, with a setting in exotic Africa. Could it be? Someone besides Karen Blixen lived and loved in Africa and wrote a story about it. The photography was beautiful. The acting was acceptable and Kim Basinger is still a major hottie. Worth the rent. Check it out.

artzau Reading the several reviews herein, I perceive no middle ground. Reviewers either hated this film or loved it. Haters decry poor acting, poor story-line, pointless deaths and wanton frustration, and, most damning, imitating Out of Africa. The comparisons are just too many to ignore. Lovers, on the other hand, wax romantically about feeling like "being in Africa," the poignant love story, the tragic deaths and the courage of a woman under the strain of living against the sage advice of her dear old mum.Well, sports fans, I worked in East Africa for over 20 years and there is damn little to find romantic about it. Beautiful? Yes, Afica is that. Wild? Yes, beyond your wildest dreams. Frustrating. Same answer. I've never met an old Afican hand who did not at once love and hate that continent. [I could go on for hours on that subject, but back to the film:]I fall in with the critics in that I found this film to be most unsatisfying. There are many fine treatments of the subject of women dealing with the frustrations and challenges of living in a land where if anything can go wrong, count on its occurring twice. Isak Denisen's and Elsbeth Huxley's books are greatly superior to Kuki's story. For my part, I found any ethnic connection being carried over into the story very unconvincing in both the book and this film, both of which come off as second rate. Look, Denisen and Huxley could write. We can leave it there. Out of Africa and The Flame Trees of Thika are classics...I dreamed of Africa is a whining wannabe tragedy, as a book and a badly acted film. Everybody's performance was weak and unconvincing in light of earlier treatments of the same subject.Romantics will still gush and choke up at this story. Critics will still hold noses and give Bronx cheers. As for me, count me among the latter.

rtd_u_4_utter_underappreciation follow your mother advice, stay home and never do anything daring, exciting or new. that's the message i got from 'i dreamed of africa'. twice kuki's mother tells her how it is, kuki doesn't obey and loved ones start dropping like flies. so the movie seemed to reverse it's premise completely.and furthermore, there's nothing really interesting going on in africa, unless you like seeing pointless deaths and lots of crying after. the acting is, really, just awful. the supposedly italian pair sound more like danish, and why the heck are they talking english in italy, if the director has gone through the trouble of having the african natives speak their own language? it's beyond comprehension.the deaths make this movie a very depressing one, and the promised 'great shots from africa, just like you were there' are completely missing. i must tell you, i don't really understand the bit about the illegal hunting either. the man, paolo or whatever is going hunting or fishing all the time, so it's not really an ethical point for him...then what is it? maybe somebody would like to explain it to me. but for sure, even if you were hunting to eat, you don't have to spend your entire living hours to do so, do you? the man is obviously obsessed with guns, and teaches a small kid to use a gun as well.the plot is childisly predictable. 'oh, oh, now the kid goes to play with the poisonous snakes after his mother just warned him about it! i WONDER what's going to happen.' the dialogue is dull, and there is zero character developement for some side roles that might have saved at least a bit of the movie, for example daniel craig and lance reddick are completely ignored and wasted.'i dreamed of africa' is a boring and just an incredibly naive, shallow, depressing and stupid movie.1/10