Dream with the Fishes

REVIEW
Arquette stars as a voyeuristic, suicidal schlub who becomes involved with his low-life, terminally ill neighbor. Not at all the "Afterschool Special" it may sound like, Dream with the Fishes allows the excellent Arquette and the rest of the fine cast to flesh out the characters, warts and all. The basic story, of an introvert who is brought out of his shell by his opposite, is a well-worn tale; but Arquette, Hunt and writer-director Taylor bring an individuality to the film that makes it seem almost fresh. While Dream is marred by a sometimes trendy soundtrack and attitude, and a near-absence of narrative drive, it is to Taylor's credit that there are so many shining moments, and that the film arouses real sympathy for the characters without becoming maudlin. Unfortunately, Taylor's screenplay doesn't cut deep enough.