2006 / Paul Weitz > I expected more from the director of About a Boy: After all, Weitz should have been capable of a well-done, imaginative satire on the state of today’s media. But American Dreamz basically ends up engulfing itself in several layers of useless satire that render it cliche’d and predictable. The irony here is that the message of the film—a mockery of American Idol and our government—gets lost in the silliness that ensues. The subtlety of Weitz’ previous films (including American Pie) is completely lost here, as is the film’s potential charm.