Overview
A poignant exploration of love that transcends life and death, where the afterlife holds both beauty and despair.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- melancholic
- romantic
- surreal
- reflective evening
- emotional movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly admired the film's surreal visual imagination and emotional ambition while finding its metaphysical plot insubstantial or overly literal-minded.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Chris's Heaven is rendered through painterly environments inspired by Annie's artistic vision, making color and texture central to the film's identity.
Chris continues pursuing Annie after his own death, treating their marriage as the force that connects earthly life, Heaven, and Hell.
The deaths of Ian, Marie, Chris, and Annie drive movement through the afterlife and shape Chris's struggle to rescue his family.
Hell is presented as a threatening realm tied to Annie's despair and Chris's difficulty reaching her.
Films like What Dreams May Come, and why
The Lovely Bones
Shared themes of grief, spiritual reunion, and love persisting beyond death, with a highly emotional fantasy framework.
Ghost
Shared afterlife setting, romantic devotion, and visually imaginative exploration of loss and transcendence.
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Shared metaphysical drama, bereavement, and a protagonist navigating an otherworldly realm to reach someone they love.
The Lake House
Shared romantic fantasy premise in which devotion and memory challenge the boundaries between life and death.
Movie Details
- Director
- Vincent Ward
- Release Date
- 1998-10-02
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (2625)
Cast
- Robin Williams
- Cuba Gooding Jr.
- Annabella Sciorra
- Max von Sydow
- Jessica Brooks Grant
- Josh Paddock
- Rosalind Chao
- Lucinda Jenney
- Maggie McCarthy
- Wilma Bonet
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is What Dreams May Come about?
- A grieving doctor journeys through a painterly afterlife and Hell to reclaim the soul of his suicidal wife.
- What is What Dreams May Come like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of What Dreams May Come as measured, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is What Dreams May Come violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in What Dreams May Come as mild.
- What did critics think of What Dreams May Come?
- Critics broadly admired the film's surreal visual imagination and emotional ambition while finding its metaphysical plot insubstantial or overly literal-minded.
- Which films are like What Dreams May Come?
- Films with a similar feel include The Lovely Bones, Ghost, The Five People You Meet in Heaven, and The Lake House.
- How long is What Dreams May Come?
- What Dreams May Come runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch What Dreams May Come?
- In United States, What Dreams May Come is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
