Blue Dream

Blue Dream is a 2013 psychological drama directed by Gregory Hatanaka and featuring a riveting ensemble cast including James Duval, Dominique Swain, and Kayden Kross. It's a film that pushes boundaries in its storytelling and cinematic techniques, offering a compelling mix of mystery, suspense, and deep exploration of the human psyche.

The story centres on Robert Harmon, a character masterfully played by James Duval. Robert was once a celebrity news journalist who basked in the glory of his early dazzling career. However, times aren't as promising anymore. The glory days are far behind, and Harmon's world is rapidly collapsing. His once-thriving career has fizzled owing to the digital age onslaught that has reshaped journalism's landscape. Consumed with disillusionment, Robert Harmon sees his life slowly spiral out of control.

Enter Gena Townsend (Dominique Swain), an always high, yet astute and intuitive artist. She is Robert's on-and-off girlfriend who is constantly by his side, both emotionally and physically but is unable to help him salvage his career or come out of his self-induced despair. Meanwhile, Rose (Kayden Kross), a high-class escort with enticing beauty and a layer of mystery, adds various shades to the narrative by developing a unique bond with Robert.

James Duval excels in his portrayal of Robert, with a performance that's largely internal, subtly expressing the character’s fear, frustration, and resignation. Likewise, Dominique Swain's Gena provides a realistic face to the bohemian artist archetype while keeping the character grounded and relatable.

Yet, Blue Dream isn't just about the character’s stories individually but also about the larger picture. In the background, a deadly and mysterious disease keeps inflicting its deadly wrath across the city. The event subtly punctuates the narrative, influencing the characters' decisions and contributing significantly to the film's looming sense of anxiety.

Blue Dream is, in many ways, an exploration of the mind's darkest recesses and an examination of the depths people can sink into when their identity is threatened. It paints a vivid picture of a man battling challenges both externally (declining career) and internally (mental health struggles).

The film is a surreal blend of the gritty and the abstract, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality – often leaving the viewers questioning their interpretation. It frequently switches between the world's quotidian aspects and the characters' intricate subconscious, making its narrative feel like a complex, multi-layered puzzle waiting to be solved.

Some scenes in Blue Dream are so visually appealing they might as well be moving paintings. Gregory Hatanaka uses striking cinematography to show the fracturing psyche of Robert, who's losing ground in a world that's changing faster than he can adapt. For instance, dreamlike sequences are interspersed with real-life events, which serve as a metaphorical representation of Robert's disintegrating mind.

Blue Dream isn’t just a psychological exploration, though. It also comments profoundly on the shifting media landscape and how the digital age has disrupted traditional forms of journalism, leaving many casualties in its wake, like Robert.

Beyond the abstract narrative, Hatanaka has also packed emotionally charged scenes into the film. The interactions between Robert and Gena are fraught with tension, with their narrative arc filled with moments both tender and fraught.

Sound plays a pivotal role in Blue Dream, enhancing the viewing experience, with music setting the tone for many intense, hard-hitting scenes. The sound design is an intricate dance between silence and noise, reinforcing the visceral edge of the plot.

In conclusion, Blue Dream is an ingeniously crafted film dealing with some heavy themes like mental health, despair, fear of failure, and the obliteration of self-identity. It breaks away from traditional story arc norms and walks the path less travelled, making it a film that's as captivating as it is challenging.

A potentially polarising movie, Blue Dream might not be everyone's cup of tea. However, for those who love cinema that dares to venture into the human psyche's darker nooks, it's a fascinating viewing experience that's equally surreal, stirring, and thought-provoking. The film ultimately serves as a testament to the age-old adage: the only thing constant in life is change, and fighting against it is futile and self-destructing.