When timid and awkward Sam (Matthew Shear) loses his job as a paralegal, he finds himself having a panic attack in a book store. Sam then sees psychiatrist Fred (Judd Hirsch) who calls him “an anxious Jew with mild OCD,” after Sam says he thinks he suffers from internalised antisemitism. On the way out, Fred’s wife and secretary Helen (Andrea Martin) asks Sam if he would be willing to babysit her three grandchildren. With decent pay and nothing better to do, he agrees. Set between New York and Martha’s Vineyard, Sam is introduced to the kids’ wealthy parents, David (Alessandro Nivola), a bassist who is going on tour with his band, and Dianne (Amanda Peet), an actor whose once-promising career has stalled.
Described as a romantic dramedy, Fantasy Life—which was directed and written by Shear—is a character study that explores mental health, stagnation, and the lines between fantasy and reality. Both at different stages in life, David and Dianne have a strained marriage which allows Sam and Dianne to grow close to one another—especially as they both find themselves in transitionary periods. Their relationship is more kindred spirits than budding romance, however. Their bond develops from the simple fact that they pay attention to each other and the otherwise hidden feelings of loneliness, alienation, and depression. Peet shines in her role, bringing emotional depth to a character who could’ve been dull. In fact, this is some of Peet’s best work.
Visually, Fantasy Life has plenty of dimly-lit scenes which are done skillfully and help to create intimacy between its characters. The production design is hit or miss, sometimes adding personality, while other times feeling bland. The cold colour palette looks nice here but can negatively affect how the film’s emotional elements are received. While the filmmaking is competent, Fantasy Life‘s biggest flaw is that it struggles to remain engaging. The themes are there, but they’re surface level. The film is primarily about the emotional lives of its characters but it falls short in exploring this. Dianne isn’t introduced until around 20 minutes into the runtime and then becomes central to the film’s narrative. This works well for her character who is depressed and struggles to get out of bed, but is then truly seen by Sam. The same cannot be said for Sam’s character, however, who seems to fade into the background.
There are also too many things left off-screen, which isn’t helped by the time jumps indicated by seasonal title cards throughout the film. Aside from the first time Sam babysits the kids, we rarely see them afterwards, which also means we don’t see much cohesive development in their relationship. Suddenly, though, we’re in the aftermath of Sam having a panic attack while walking the kids home from camp. It can be hard to establish what’s going on sometimes, which is something the film even opens with: It wouldn’t have been clear to me that Sam was a paralegal who was fired from his job without me reading the film’s synopsis beforehand. The use of off-screen action can be very effective, but the film skips too much which leaves a feeling of emotional emptiness which is a big problem for a script like this.
For a film about a male nanny navigating an anxiety disorder in New York City, it should be more captivating than it is. That said, there are glimpses into the film Fantasy Life should’ve been. There are also some nice moments of humour that complement the film’s quiet disposition and slower pace, plus themes many can relate to. In addition to Peet, veteran actors Hirsch and Holland Taylor excel in very minor roles, as does Bob Balaban as Dianne’s father. It’s a shame the family dynamics weren’t handled better. There’s a good film in here somewhere, but Shear’s script needs some revisions. While Fantasy Life didn’t fully work for me, it will be worth seeing what he does next.
Fantasy Life opens in US cinemas on 3rd April 2026.
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