‘Olympic dreams’: a he-said, she-said film review

By Tom and Marilyn Jozwik 

Published Oct. 25, 2019

HE: The rom-com “Olympic Dreams,” a Milwaukee Film Festival entry, is very well-acted by stars Alexi Pappas and Nick Kroll. Respectively, they play an Olympic skier and a volunteer dentist at the 2018 Winter Games in Korea. Many actual 2018 Olympians make cameo appearances in the movie. 

Interestingly, co-star Pappas has an Olympic history, having competed for Greece as a long-distance runner in the 2016 Games. That history probably enhances the realism the Greek-American actress brings to “Olympic Dreams.” Pappas and Kroll joined director Jeremy Teicher in writing the film’s screenplay. 

SHE: I really enjoyed the Pappas-Kroll pairing, although they could have lessened their age differences—she 22, he 37. The best scenes are when the two are exploring the Olympic Village and the city of Seoul, taking the viewer to the Olympians’ cafeteria, dorms, game room and other seldom seen areas. The relationship between Pappas’ Penelope and Kroll’s Ezra grows nicely, but I thought the writers struggled to find something important to say. So they went with the tried and true “follow your dreams” theme, which gave the couple more than just shared experiences. I found those conversations somewhat contrived, but I really enjoyed them when they were just taking in the moment. 

HE: I was unsure, given his behavior and the movie’s dialogue, as to whether Ezra considered himself committed to, or through with, a—former or present, I don’t know—fiancee back home. Also unsure as to whether Penelope (wouldn’t you think they’d call her Penny?) was seeking a permanent relationship or just an Olympic week affair. Too much ambiguity in the film. I agree that the behind-the-scenes stuff, highlighted by the athletes’ cameos, was a plus. So was the basic storyline. Having a romance was OK, but this ambiguous romance was rather maddening and complicated the whole business. 

B (in a rather generous spirit)