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Every four years, the world watches as thousands of athletes come together to compete for Olympic gold. We see the stories of the hopefuls, the winners, and the superstars—but there are so many other stories to be told. And Olympic Dreams goes behind the scenes to explore life in the athletes’ village.
Olympic Dreams travels to Pyeongchang, South Korea, with an Olympic athlete and an Olympic volunteer. Penelope (Olympic runner Alexi Pappas) is a young cross country skier who’s making her Olympic dreams come true at the 2018 games. Ezra (Nick Kroll) is making his own Olympic dreams come true by volunteering as a dentist. After Penelope’s event comes to an end, she finds herself feeling lost and alone in the Olympic Village. And when she finds a kindred spirit in Ezra, the two end up venturing out to explore the city together.
The story then follows the two as they deal with their own personal issues while wandering around the Olympic Village. Penelope faces the sudden realization that she’s completely alone—that she’s given up everything and everyone for this one Olympic competition that’s now over—and she has no idea what comes next. And Ezra wonders if his ex-fiancée is really the love of his life or if she’s just been holding him back.
The story here is really nothing new: two people meeting, spending time together, and dealing with their emotional baggage. Much of the film feels improvised—and while Pappas is sometimes jittery and spastic, Kroll seems uncomfortable in the more dramatic scenes. Still, both characters are likable in their own messy way, and both stars are charming despite their general awkwardness.
But there’s so much more to this film that just the romance and comedy. What makes it stand out is its production. Filmed by a one-man crew in and around the Olympic Village during the 2018 Winter Olympics, it offers a fascinating look at what it’s like to be an Olympian. The characters wander through the medical facilities, explore the city and the beaches, and hang out in the athletes’ areas: the dining hall, the game room, the salon. They interact with real Olympians. Admittedly, not much happens here; it’s a lot of wandering around and talking about the future. But the behind-the-scenes setting makes for an intriguing film.
As far as rom-coms go, Olympic Dreams is really nothing out of the ordinary. It’s sweet but unremarkable. But the bare-bones production in the middle of the Olympic action definitely makes it stand out. So if you’re an avid watcher of the Olympic Games, this behind-the-scenes rom-com is worth checking out.
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