has the most clever dog since Lassie and causes a traffic pileup involving a truck and a dozen cars." Jack Mathews of the Los Angeles Times likened the film to A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), but criticized it for its lack of realism. However, Mathews praised the film's underwater visual sequences, noting that they "have the haunting atmosphere typical of Jordan's past horror films," and wrote that "Bening works this role like a sore muscle, or a tooth that needs pulling. It's a courageous, anti-glamour effort, one of those sweat-and-drool "Snake Pit" performances that drives hair and makeup crazy, not to mention mental-health-care providers." The Washington Posts Desson Howe similarly praised Bening for "an exhausting, breakout performance," as well as the film's "surrealistic" visuals. Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly awarded the film a C-minus rating, deeming it a "dismayingly schlocky and literal-minded thriller." Emanuel Levy of Variety characterized the film as "dark, scary and uncompromising," and surmised that criticisms would result from the film's "convoluted narrative with a downbeat tone and shockingly unconventional ending, which doesn’t provide the genre’s customary pay-off." Co-writer Robinson criticized the film the year after its release, stating: "It was a complete and utter mess from top to bottom. I thought Jennifer Eight was a low point, but Christ almighty, this hit the floor and dug." In a retrospective review, critic Nick Pinkerton referred to the film as "a fundamentally miscalibrated movie of rather piquant badness, the work of a preternaturally talented hack, if such a thing can exist." Soundtrack The soundtrack to In Dreams was released on January 12, 1999. Songs are by Elliot Goldenthal featuring London Metropolitan Orchestra, except where noted. References Works cited External links 1999 films Films set in Massachusetts American serial killer films Films about nightmares Films about child death American supernatural films Films directed by Neil Jordan American supernatural thriller films 1999 thriller films DreamWorks Pictures films Amblin Entertainment films Films shot in California Films shot in Massachusetts Films shot in North Carolina Films shot in New Hampshire Films shot in Tennessee Films shot in Mexico Films based on American novels Films based on thriller novels Films scored by Elliot Goldenthal 1990s English-language films 1990s American films