Strawberry Mansion
Synopsis
Imagine a world where everything is taxed, where product placement happens in your dreams. Imagine a world where these dreams are all recorded online via an 'air-stick' next to your bed... so that these can be taxed too.
James Preble is a tax man whose job is to audit your dreams. He calls on Bella, an old lady, who has no tax records; she hasn't updated her hardware. So far so simple (!?) What happens when he starts to audit her dreams takes him (and us) into a world of dreams where pretty much anything can happen, including falling in love…
"'I think I'm losing my mind. - It's about time.'" This is a crucial exchange in 'Strawberry Mansion', a witty and thoughtful movie about one man's struggle to recognize the unreality of what is deemed accepted reality, and to embrace the logic of dreams over the morally compromised 'real' world. This makes 'Strawberry Mansion' sound pretty heady and abstract, but it isn't, not really. The film's metaphors are easily grasped, and the execution is whimsical and humorous, with strong internal logic as well as a big heart. It is only natural that James Preble feels like he is losing his mind in the la-la-land of 'Strawberry Mansion', when what is actually happening is he is finally seeing things for what they really are. His mind is free. 'It's about time.'" – Sheila O'Malley, RogerEbert.com.
This is a sweet, low budget whimsy, a refreshing change from all the blockbuster CGI-lead movies we are surrounded with in our lives; a dream come true? At the very least, it will be a strawberry treat for Christmas!
James Preble is a tax man whose job is to audit your dreams. He calls on Bella, an old lady, who has no tax records; she hasn't updated her hardware. So far so simple (!?) What happens when he starts to audit her dreams takes him (and us) into a world of dreams where pretty much anything can happen, including falling in love…
"'I think I'm losing my mind. - It's about time.'" This is a crucial exchange in 'Strawberry Mansion', a witty and thoughtful movie about one man's struggle to recognize the unreality of what is deemed accepted reality, and to embrace the logic of dreams over the morally compromised 'real' world. This makes 'Strawberry Mansion' sound pretty heady and abstract, but it isn't, not really. The film's metaphors are easily grasped, and the execution is whimsical and humorous, with strong internal logic as well as a big heart. It is only natural that James Preble feels like he is losing his mind in the la-la-land of 'Strawberry Mansion', when what is actually happening is he is finally seeing things for what they really are. His mind is free. 'It's about time.'" – Sheila O'Malley, RogerEbert.com.
This is a sweet, low budget whimsy, a refreshing change from all the blockbuster CGI-lead movies we are surrounded with in our lives; a dream come true? At the very least, it will be a strawberry treat for Christmas!
Critics
“It’s not often that a totally bizarre, surreal film turns out to be so heart-warmingly beautiful, but Kentucker Audley and Albert Birney’s film manages to do just that.”
“More than the sum of its deadpan quirks.”
“Beneath the crazy candy-coloured palette, there is actually some real human warmth in the love story, and the acting ensemble features some great comic performers in supporting roles...”
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