Fantasy Life

Matthew Shear has crafted a classic kind of family drama for this smart, dialogue-driven film, much like Woody Allen’s films but without the laughs. Shear shows a great deal of promise in carefully keeping the inherent drama beneath the surface. These characters and their deep anxieties and life problems feel very real.

The casting here is perfection. Amanda Peet as Dianne is exceptional with a role she makes her own, giving this drifting soul real poignancy. You can’t ask for a better supporting cast than the likes of Judd Hirsch, the wonderful Bob Balaban as the other grandfather, along with Andrea Martin who dives in with relish.

There are other well-known actors turning up, including Holland Taylor for a brief scene as another psychiatrist. In the end, however, this is Matthew Shear’s film, both as the star, the writer and the director of this quietly slow burning film that reveals fantasy lives that feel so real.

SPONSORED BY:
Barbara Small and Leonard Schein

Festivals and Awards

• Winner: Best Ensemble Cast, San Diego International Film Festival, 2025
• Winner: Special Jury Award (Narrative Feature), SXSW Film Festival, 2025
• Winner: Audience Award (Narrative Feature), SXSW Film Festival, 2025