A baby face can land you in a lot of trouble. Just ask Tiffani Amber Thiessen. As a Jane Doe in 1996 television thriller Sweet Dreams this perennial cutie-pie finds herself in a wet world of trouble. Washing up on the shore of a tiny water ringed hamlet, Thiessen’s character soon finds herself wracked by occasionally erotic memories and as people start dying around her, she soon discovers her life is in a truly fiery kind of danger.
Thankfully, Doug Harrison, a hunky sheriff portrayed by veteran performer A Martinez (Curse of Chucky, Mega Python vs. Gateroid) is on hand to help out – that is when he isn’t inadvertently reminding Thiessen’s stressed damsel about her unconscionable fear of fire. Daughter of Frankenstein, anyone?!?
Unfortunately, where the real heat is concerned, Thiessen is a bit too perky to truly bring it, especially as the audience discovers the dark and possibly twisted layers that her character might possess. But would anyone really want to watch a movie like this with a layered Jennifer Lawrence type? No, you’re watching this to see the princess of 90210 and Saved By the Bell react to a little danger.
Still, director Jack Bender (Child’s Play 3, The Midnight Hour) brings a fair degree of haunted mood to the proceedings. He is aided, greatly, by the use of a hypnotically moody score by Pray for Rain and what sounds like the frequent use of the Marilyn Manson’s spooky version of the Eurythmic’s hit which functions, fittingly, as the title song here.
Meanwhile, television regular Amy Yasbeck does bring the histrionic goods as a big haired vixen whom most probably holds the key to Thiessen’s redemption. She is wild-eyed and dramatic, adding just the right amount of spice to this slightly boiling cinematic stew.
Until the next time – SWEET love and pink GRUE, Big Gay Horror Fan!
Big Gay Horror Fan 