The Cinedigm separate April 24, 2018 DVD and Blu-ray releases of the 2017 Michael Caine/Katie Holmes comedy "Dear Dictator" nicely reinforces the similarities between the governments of Banana Republic nations and the ruling class at high school. This film also will turn every viewer off ever eating at Red Lobster.
The central relationship in "Dictator" is between sullen teen Tatiana and her "pregnant-at-16" mother Darlene (Katie Holmes). They are a more realistic "Gilmore Girls" duo in that Darlene has chronic mild resentment regarding her life getting derailed before graduating high school and as to this family regularly arguing and never engaging in clever banter with copious pop culture references. Titular tyrant Anton Vincent (Michael Caine) enters the picture when Tatiana writes him in compliance with the stated requirements of (but contrary to the spirit of) a school assignment.
A U.S.-backed coup soon prompts Vincent to run for the border and seek covert asylum at the suburban home of Tatiana and Darlene. His initial payment for room-and-board consists of mentoring Tatiana in overtly and covertly toppling the power brokers at her school. Mom finding out that the boy whom her daughter is hiding is old enough to be her grandfather turns our shadow leader into a landscaper/handyman/chef.
Meanwhile, our technically challenged former head-of-state is learning about e-mail. He also begins to suspect that his supporters back home are moving on.
Hilarity ensues when the activity traced to the Internet account associated with Tatiana includes searches for surplus military hardware literally brings the feds to the door. The manner in which all this is resolved includes a nice surprise and provides justice for all.
The former child star roster of Holmes, Seth Green as the freaky dentist for home she works, and Jason Biggs portraying the high-school teacher who sets everything in motion enhance the tubular '80s teencom vibe of "Dictator." It is an amusing diversion with enough truth bombs to provide a little substance. Everyone learns a life lesson, and mother and daughter are better off for having hosted a man responsible for piles of corpses.
Anyone with questions or comments regarding "Dictator" is welcome either to e-mail me or to connect on Twitter via @tvdvdguy.
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