POPE DREAMS

The greatest reward for any parent is to see their child succeed.

Pope Dreams is a heart-warming little movie about a young man attempting to find his place in the world as his mother (Julie Hagerty) battles mesothelioma. In many ways, Andy Venable (Phillip Vaden) is just as directionless as most nineteen-year-olds. His interests don't extend far beyond drums and girls, but what he wants more than anything is to make his mother's dream of meeting the Pope a reality before she dies. Little does he know that these seemingly disparate pursuits will lead him to realize both of their dreams.

When we meet Andy, his life is really pretty depressing. His dying mother is largely confined to her bedroom, and the whole family is appropriately stressed and sad. His own lack of ambition is a source of concern for his father, and during these difficult times, he'd just as soon see Andy settle into a sensible job and move forward with his life. Though he's having an awfully hard time making it as a musician, Andy is certain that there's more to his destiny than working as a salesman... there's just too much going on to really figure out what that would be.

For one thing, he's running out of time with his mom, and if he's going to make one of her big dreams come true, he'd better get cracking. As a devout Catholic, she's always wanted to meet the Pope, so Andy does his best to arrange this. He runs into brick walls at every turn, even when he appeals to the kind-hearted folks at an organization akin to the Make A Wish Foundation. Turns out they only grant wishes for terminally ill children, and if your wishes haven't come true by the time you're an adult, it's pretty much tough luck for you. It's this sort of dark humor that delivers astute social commentary while keeping the movie from becoming overly sentimental.

The only really pleasant distraction in Andy's life is Brady (Marnette Patterson), the gorgeous, affluent girl he has begun to court. Though there are genuinely tender moments in their relationship, the fact remains that she is out of Andy's league, if only because she's got her eye on someone else and is bound to step on his heart. The whole relationship would be just another dead-end if not for Brady's father, a Broadway producer. With the right connections, Andy is finally able to put his talents to good use and become a star.

Though the Pope remains elusive, Andy learns that he has managed to grant his mom (and his dad) their dearest wishes as parents: for him to realize his own dream. The film's honest portrayal of life's complexities is refreshing, but it's this sweetly unexpected message that resonates the most. The greatest reward for any parent is to see their child succeed, and Pope Dreams does a beautiful job of making this clear to Andy and the audience.