Film Review: FANTASY LIFE (2025): Amanda Peet Excels in a Different Type of Comedy Than Audiences Are Accustomed To
Fantasy Life Review
Fantasy Life (2025) Film Review, a movie written and directed by Matthew Shear and starring Amanda Peet, Matthew Shear, Alessandro Nivola, Judd Hirsch, Bob Balaban, Andrea Martin, Jessica Harper, Zosia Mamet, Holland Taylor, Romy Fay, Callie Santoro, Riley Vinson, Alana Raquel Bowers, Julie Claire, Sheng Wang, Roberta Colindrez, Sophie von Haselberg and Robert Emmet Lunney.
Filmmaker Matthew Shear takes on brave and delicate topics in his successful new dramedy, Fantasy Life. While the film is noteworthy more for its star, Amanda Peet’s great work than anything else, Shear has written and directed a complex film that ultimately raises a lot of important questions about mental health, settling in marriage and the real things that go on behind closed doors of a pretty well-off family. Shear and Peet create three-dimensional characters and they are more than properly supported by a stellar cast of character actors in smaller roles.
This movie begins in a bookstore with Shear’s character (that’s right, he also stars in it as well), Sam Stein. He has a panic attack which happens in an awkward fashion that hints as to just what, exactly, is wrong with Sam and why he needs his prescribed meds and therapy. Sam is abruptly let go from his job in an office and Sam’s shrink, Fred Finman (Judd Hirsch of The Fabelmans), indirectly helps Sam get a temporary job that would involve him babysitting for Fred’s three grand kids. The children’s parents are David (a well-cast Alessandro Nivola), Fred’s son, and Dianne (Peet), a former famous actress who hasn’t worked in over a decade and a half. David has to go away on business since his money is what his family depends on to prosper which leaves Sam playing with the kids (all girls) and taking them out for walks, etc. Sam suffers from a few anxiety issues, but seems to do well as a “manny,” or rather a male nanny.
This film showcases a humorous therapy session with Fred and Sam during the early part of the film. It rings very true to life as Sam talks about what frustrates him and Fred listens and offers Sam some sage advice. Hirsch has a few really fine scenes in Fantasy Life and remains one of our most underappreciated character actors these days. However, Hirsch eventually disappears from the action for a while as Shear’s character becomes the film’s central player. Shear surrounds himself with talented young actresses as the little girls and, of course, Peet, who develops her character slowly right in front of the audience’s eyes. Peet’s Dianne seems a bit normal at first until we learn that she’s on psych meds and suffering for her inability to work anymore doing what she loves. Peet reveals the many layers of Dianne like a true master of the acting game.
Nivola’s performance is quite heartfelt as the working father who comes home and must deal with the fact that Sam is being more well-entertained in his home than he has any right to be, especially considering the fact that Sam develops serious feelings for Dianne over the course of the picture which further complicates an already difficult situation.
Holland Taylor is magnificent in just a few moments within the new picture that the seasoned veteran makes the most of. A scene where Taylor’s Dr. Mary Greene goes over the antidepressants that Dianne is taking with her is one of the picture’s most priceless moments as it is intelligently written and remarkably directed. A lot of other moments in Fantasy Life will ring realistically, but not every scene here works as well as it could have.
Shear gives an outstanding performance. He captures Sam’s sorrows and frustrations almost to a science in this film. Peet is, arguably, the most valuable player, though, as she grows from frustrated to loving to frustrated again all in the course of a very short period of time. Fantasy Life improves the more it goes on and as the audience grows used to the characterizations the movie features, it’s easy to admire the film’s realistic nature and slice of life presentation that it captures all too well.
Shear is playing a role many actors would love to play so it’s interesting that he cast himself in the film’s pivotal juicy role. Shear and Peet develop a realistic on-screen rapport that plays out satisfactorily by the time the movie reaches its ambiguous last scene set in a diner.
If Fantasy Life weren’t so entertaining, it might be worth looking closer at it for flaws. Some of the mental problems of Sam seem to get glossed over and dealt with a bit haphazardly. Also, a few of the side characters aren’t developed as well as some of the leads, especially given the film’s brief running time, but all the characters have a raw edge that gives Fantasy Life a very distinct quality that makes it easy to admire and to recommend.
Rating: 7.5/10
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