Home ownership is considered a staple of economic stability for most Americans. So, if you were given the opportunity to buy a $5 million dollar mansion ‘as is’ for $240,000 knowing when the owner expires you could hit the real estate jackpot, would you go for it or not?
Based on a true story from Chicago Public Radio’s This American Life, Paul Dektor’s “American Dreamer” tells the story of Phil Loder (Peter Dinklage), a twice-divorced, underpaid professor of economics, who dreams of home ownership that seems to be tragically out of reach for his budget. However, when an incredible, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presents itself, Phil strikes a deal with Astrid Finnelli (Shirley MacLaine), a childless, near-death widow who’s offering her sprawling estate for a nominal amount. But Phil quickly discovers the deal is too good to be true and the American dream is not quite what it used to be.
