Reality Ensues in “Fantasy Life”

Fantasy Life (Matthew Shear, 2025) 3½ out of 5 stars

There’s an old saying that if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. While it may sound clichéd, it still rings true, especially for the cast of Fantasy Life. Writer/director/star Matthew Shear invites us to a year in the lives of two lonely people in New York’s tight-knit Jewish community. As a feature debut, Fantasy Life is a small-scale but compelling take on searching for meaning after your ideal life plan doesn’t pan out.

Our protagonist is Sam (Matthew Shear, Between the Temples), an anxious law-school dropout prone to panic attacks and intrusive thoughts. After getting fired from his clerical job in a law-firm’s basement, he becomes a nanny (or in this case, “manny”) for his psychiatrist’s granddaughters. Their father, David (Alessandro Nivola, The Brutalist), is a touring musician, so he’s on the road for months at a time. However, even when he’s home, he lacks investment in his children’s lives. In David’s absence, Sam essentially becomes a substitute parent. Because of this, he also grows closer to David’s wife, Dianne (Amanda Peet, Sleeping with Other People), an out-of-work actress dealing with her own mental-health struggles.

As a whole, Fantasy Life is about people stuck in places they never planned to be. Dianne was this close to becoming a movie star and Sam was on track to become a “hotshot tax attorney.” Even David is unsatisfied with where he is, visibly coming down from the high of touring every time we see him. Each person seems trapped in circumstances largely out of their control. Sam and Dianne’s relationship is the core of the movie and the two have genuine chemistry. Granted, Dianne’s still independently wealthy, so material concerns aren’t really an issue. But as her therapist tells her, privilege doesn’t make you undeserving of care.

Fantasy Life is a film that knows its strengths. Shear’s main focus is on performance and character, with Peet and Nivola the highlights. It’s charming without being showy, with Conor Murphy’s cinematography painting a cozy picture of New York in the fall. Shear is more than willing to look silly on camera, with his sincerity making up for Sam’s lack of coordination. Peet, on the other hand, successfully conveys the genuine fear of living in an ageist industry. If you’re a fan of quiet, low-key romantic comedies, this will definitely be up your alley. There is no real “fantasy life,” there’s just the life you have.

George W. Campbell

George W. Campbell is a director/screenwriter/editor from Bowie, Maryland, whose films focus on themes of family and personal relationships. As a Nicaraguan-American filmmaker, he aims to highlight specific parts of his culture and personal experiences (songs, dances, foods, and language).