Hardworking and intelligent, Miranda has dedicated herself to her job, but she has been recently passed over for a promotion at work. Upset and frustrated, she takes refuge in her hobby, her model railway, which she sets up to imagine a catastrophe befalling the man who took her desired post. At work the next day, she is shocked to discover her competitor is in the hospital after an accident on the railway tracks, and Miranda is awarded her dream job in his stead. Miranda discovers that her model railway has the power to mold and manipulate her world, which she often uses for good. She also uses it to pursue an office romance and create the life of her dreams. But reality still isn't perfect, and Miranda soon discovers that the foundation of her dream life may be more tenuous than she thinks. Directed and written by Pip Swallow, this charming magical-realist short comedy has an imaginative premise, brought to life with a whimsicality that would not be out of place in the Wes Anderson cinematic universe.
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With light-as-a-feather storytelling, a brightly stylish musical score, effervescent pacing and a uniquely British sensibility, it often has many delightful flights of fancy, exploring the terrain of Miranda's imagination and desires and bringing them to life with wry humor. But underneath the stylistic and narrative playfulness, the story's wellspring comes from pain and anger, as Miranda finds herself overlooked and excluded, despite her hard work and competency. Seen in this light, Miranda's newfound ability to control the world around her to get what she wants is a miracle. Being a positive person, she uses it to do good in her world, and she uses it to pursue her goals and dreams, which have often felt out of reach for her. Actor Rhoda Ofori-Attah deftly captures Miranda's many textures as a character, from the wary heartache, anger and exhaustion when she loses her promotion to her delight when she begins to achieve her goals. Through it all, she keeps the emotions real without derailing the tone of the film. In taking Miranda's emotional journey seriously, DREAM BIG gains a resonance that grounds the film's flourishes of charm with sharper wit and occasional bite. We enjoy Miranda's blooming confidence and happiness as she gains the life she's always wanted. But it's still not quite a perfect life, and Miranda begins to use her powers in more controlling ways, which backfire on her, coming close to disaster. Miranda has been using the railway to better fit into and master the existing models around her. But to truly want more for herself, she decides to remake the model for herself -- and truly go after her dreams.
