Short Film Review: When a Nightmare Comes True (2020) by Rahul D

A young man with an addiction to online pornography becomes troubled by nightmares in which a woman seduces him, then removes his member. Despite the odd dreams, the man does not abstain from his addiction to smut and the nightmares continue. To his surprise, one evening, a woman appears at his door that resembles the girl in his dreams and tries to seduce him. With sex on mind, the man is forced to weigh his fears of castration against his inflated libido from his porn addiction.

“When a Nightmare Comes True” presents an interesting conundrum for Western audiences, as the familiar structure of sex comedy also carries a sentiment against pornography. Consequently, the anti-pornographic message becomes lost in translation, due to the western embrace and acceptance of the ‘genre'. This stance and disconnect from the issue will likely push the majority of audiences to stay focused on the comedic elements.

Thankfully, the production excels in delivering great comedic moments and carries itself well within the genre, particularly excelling in creating strong interactions between its actors. This is reflected in scenes such as, the eventual ‘real life' meeting between its subjects that leads to a sheepish and awkward line of asking if the man's seductress plans to chomp down on his member. Furthermore, the cinematography and score works harmoniously with the comedic flow.

As well as the script handles the humor, it could have easily been lost in middling performances. Luckily, Sumit Ghoshal plays the buffoonish porn addict with a lot of flair, not afraid to give an over the top performance. Playing opposite Ghoshal, Sudarshana Das gives a more reserved performance in order to become the perfect temptress to egg on her victim. Overall, both actors are undeniably charming and impress with their interpretation of the material.

With a social message that may be overlooked by many, “When a Nightmare Comes True” works best as a short comedic/ sexy romp. Within this genre, Rahul D brings out the best in his performers to make a riotous short film worth checking out, regardless of ones own thoughts on the subject of porn addiction.