Written by: Susan Granger
www.susangranger.com

Humorist Art Buchwald once said, "You can't make up anything anymore. The world itself is a satire. All you're doing is recording it."

Smirking, self-centered Martin Tweed (Hugh Grant) is the Simon Cowell-esque host of a top TV show called "American Dreamz," obviously based on "American Idol." Eager to boost ratings even higher, he launches a search for bizarre new contestants and comes up with two doozies: Sally Kendoo (Mandy Moore), an amoral, ambitious smalltown twit who exploits her adoring boyfriend (Chris Klein), a veteran back from Iraq, and a visiting Afghan (Sam Golzari) who turns out to be a terrorist-in-training.

Meanwhile over at the White House, the newly re-elected American President (Dennis Quaid, who bears an uncanny resemblance to George W. Bush) won't get out of bed, despite entreaties from his adoring wife (Marcia Gay Harden, resembling Laura Bush) and manipulative Chief of Staff (Willem Dafoe). Worse yet, he's actually starting to read newspapers which confuses him terribly. Yet anxious to boost his dwindling "approval rating," the President agrees to be a guest judge on the "American Dreamz" season finale.

This is writer/director Paul Weitz's ("American Pie," "In Good Company") first foray into pop culture political comedy, and he simply bites off more than he can chew. There are too many threads to this plot line. As a result, none are developed into more than sketches filled with jibes and stereotypes. The wavering comic tone lacks a sharp edge.

However, the casting is perfect. Hugh Grant nails "smarmy cad"; Dennis Quaid cleverly caricatures the Commander-in-Chief; Willem Dafoe is at his wily best; and Mandy Moore channels Britney Spears. Sam Golzari, Shohreh Aghdaloo and Tony Yalda cavort in underwritten supporting roles..

On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "American Dreamz" is an amusing 6. It's simply zany, silly, forgettable fun.