History Film / AmericanDreamer

* AssholeVictim: [[spoiler:Victor Marchand suffers a lot in this movie (poisoning, multiple broken bones) after meeting Rebecca. However, he's the leader of a drug ring and a murderer, and at least some of his injuries were caused by his backfired attempts to kill Rebecca]].
* BigBad: Count Reneleau in the books, who Cathy unconsciously imagines as her husband, Kevin. [[spoiler:Drug dealer Victor Marchand is the villain in the actual movie.]]

* ButtMonkey: Alan "Dmitri" [=McMann=] for most of the movie. Caught up in Rebecca's whirlwind, and in a perpetual state of "what the hell?"
* ChekhovsGun: Several different ones, either [[SubvertedTrope suberted]] or [[DoubleSubversion double subverted]].

* DeconstructiveParody: This movie is a spoof of such stories that Rebecca would have appeared in, by having the hero be a housewife who doesn't actually have the knowledge and skills of such a character.

* EscapistCharacter: This is how Rebecca us this InUniverse to Cathy, and the plot could be summed up as her literally escaping into this character.

* GirlySkirtTwirl: Just done with a full-length fur coat, Cathy does it when on her shopping spree.
* ManicPixieDreamGirl: This is an UnbuiltTrope example. Cathy as Rebecca has many of the traits of the trope, but her actions are living out the life she always wanted instead of just enriching Alan's life.
* ManipulativeBastard: Kevin tries to be this, but Cathy only falls for it to certain points. He fails to keep her from going on the trip, and [[spoiler:after Cathy regains her memory, he fails to get her to just go home as though nothing happened]].

* MistakenForCheating: Alan carrying a very drunk Rebecca, bridal-style, into his apartment, where his girlfriend Jacqueline is waiting. [[GroinAttack It's a very short break-up]].

* StayInTheKitchen: Even Cathy going on the trip is too much for her husband, who insists she just stay home. He even brags about getting to stay with his buddies, but it's at that moment that [[DefiedTrope they see Cathy all packed up and heading off to the airport]].

* UnwillingSuspension: When Cathy and Alan are kidnapped by drug dealers, they are tied up and left upside down from the ceiling.
* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle: An apparent ending really isn't. [[spoiler:After Cathy and Alan realize they love each other, they get kidnapped by drug dealers why Cathy had run into as Rebecca.]]
* YouHaveToBelieveMe: Alan tries his best to explain to the police chief that yes, "Rebecca" is insane, but someone is ''still'' trying to murder her. It goes badly.

It turns out she is actually Cathy Palmer, a {{Housewife}} stuck in an unhappy marriage. Her best escape has been these novels, and after winning a trip to Paris, she suffers a concussion, and is now living as her favorite character. Of course, she doesn't have any of Rebecca's skills, and sees danger when there isn't any, and Alan is helplessly caught in her wake.

* AmericanTitle - "American Dreamer"
* AscendedFanboy - Fangirl in this case. [[spoiler:Cathy becomes a co-writer for the books.]]
* AssholeVictim - [[spoiler:Victor Marchand suffers a lot in this movie (poisoning, multiple broken bones) after meeting Rebecca. However, he's the leader of a drug ring and a murderer, and at least some of his injuries were caused by his backfired attempts to kill Rebecca]].
* BigBad - Count Reneleau in the books, who Cathy unconsciously imagines as her husband, Kevin. [[spoiler:Drug dealer Victor Marchand is the villain in the actual movie.]]
* BondOneLiner - Cathy finishes off her story with one, but has a few false starts.
* ButtMonkey - Alan "Dmitri" [=McMann=] for most of the movie. Caught up in Rebecca's whirlwind, and in a perpetual state of "what the hell?"
* ChekhovsGun - Several different ones, either [[SubvertedTrope suberted]] or [[DoubleSubversion double subverted]].
* ColdBloodedTorture - Hanging upside down can apparently be very painful if done for too long.
* CurtainCamouflage - Subverted. It was just shoes Alan had left there.
* CreatorBacklash - InUniverse. The writer of the Rebecca Ryan books thinks they are "cheap pulp".
* DeadpanSnarker - Alan is this, until some people try to shoot him and "Rebecca". Then he starts to [[LargeHam ham it up]] in his frustration.
* DeconstructiveParody - This movie is a spoof of such stories that Rebecca would have appeared in, by having the hero be a housewife who doesn't actually have the knowledge and skills of such a character.
* EasyAmnesia - How Cathy becomes Rebecca.
* EscapistCharacter - This is how Rebecca us this InUniverse to Cathy, and the plot could be summed up as her literally escaping into this character.
* FollowThatCar - and Alan actually says [[LampshadeHanging "I can't believe I said that."]]
* GirlySkirtTwirl - Just done with a full length fur coat, Cathy does it when on her shopping spree.
* ManicPixieDreamGirl - This is an UnbuiltTrope example. Cathy as Rebecca has many of the traits of the trope, but her actions are living out the life she always wanted instead of just enriching Alan's life.
* ManipulativeBastard - Kevin tries to be this, but Cathy only falls for it to certain points. He fails to keep her from going on the trip, and [[spoiler:after Cathy regains her memory, he fails to get her to just go home as though nothing happened]].
* MeaningfulEcho - at one point Rebecca overhears a couple arguing very much like Cathy and Kevin did.

* NoodleIncident - [[spoiler:while writing their escapades into the next Rebecca Ryan novel]], Cathy and Alan have this exchange:

* NotWhatItLooksLike - Alan carrying a very drunk Rebecca, bridal-style, into his apartment, where his girlfriend Jacqueline is waiting. [[GroinAttack It's a very short break-up]].
* OfficialFanSubmittedContent - InUniverse Cathy wins a contest to write a Rebecca Ryan story and come to Paris.
* OnlySaneMan - Alan [=McMann=] is this when trying to explain Rebecca's antics, though that starts to break down.
* PrettyInMink - Rebecca's glamorous wardrobe includes several furs, so Cathy buys some in her shopping trip. The film even starts out with Rebecca wearing a red fox jacket and hat as she catches the bad guy.
* SeparateSceneStorytelling - It turns out the opening scene is this when Cathy can't think of a good one liner.
* ShoppingMontage - An amusing misunderstanding allows Cathy to pay for all the clothes.
* StayInTheKitchen - Even Cathy going on the trip is too much for her husband, who insists she just stay home. He even brags about getting to staty with his buddies, but it's at that moment that [[DefiedTrope they see Cathy all packed up and heading off to the airport]].
* TheUnfairSex - This is downplayed. Cathy does sleep with Alan, but as Rebecca, and she still thinks he's Dimitri, her sidekick. Plus lovemaking isn't Cathy and Kevin's problem. It's just that he's a condescending, controlling jerk.
* UnresolvedSexualTension - Although Dmitri is gay, Cathy thinks this is going on between him and Rebecca.
* UnwillingSuspension - When Cathy and Alan are kidnapped by drug dealers, they are tied up and left upside down from the ceiling.
* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle - An apparent ending really isn't. [[spoiler:After Cathy and Alan realize they love each other, they get kidnapped by drug dealers why Cathy had run into as Rebecca.]]
* YouHaveToBelieveMe - Alan tries his best to explain to the police chief that yes, "Rebecca" is insane, but someone is ''still'' trying to murder her. It goes badly.

A 1984 romantic comedy thriller directed by Rick Rosenthal, starring [=JoBeth=] Williams and Tom Conti.

Unrelated to the 2019 thriller of the same name starring Creator/JimGaffigan.

->''I will not be outwitted by a two-dimensional character in a cheap romantic thriller!''

Rebecca Ryan, a [[DistaffCounterpart Lady]] Film/JamesBond {{Expy}} (although she's a private detective instead of a secret agent), is the main character in a popular series of novels by Margaret [=McMann=]. Her son, Alan, has been living the life of a playboy, until one day a woman shows up claiming to be Rebecca, and causing all sorts of trouble.

It turns out she is actually Cathy Palmer, a {{Housewife}} stuck in an unhappy marriage. Her best escape has been these novels, and after winning a trip to Paris, she suffers a concussion, and is now living as her favorite character.

Of course she doesn't have any of Rebecca's skills, and sees danger when there isn't any, and Alan is helplessly caught in her wake.

* NotWhatItLooksLike - Alan carrying a very drunk Rebecca, bridal-style, into his apartment, where his girlfriend Jacqueline is waiting. It's a very short break-up.

* UnresolvedSexualTension - Although Dimitri is gay, Cathy thinks this is going on between him and Rebecca.

* YouHaveToBelieveMe - Alan tries his best to explain to the police chief that "Rebecca" is insane, yet someone is trying to murder her. It goes badly.

Rebecca Ryan, a [[DistaffCounterpart Lady]] Film/JamesBond {{Expy}} (although she seems to be more of a private detective than a secret agent), is the main character in a popular series of novels by Margaret [=McMann=]. Her son, Alan, has been living the life of a playboy, until one day a woman shows up claiming to be Rebecca, and causing all sorts of trouble.

* AmericanTitle
* AscendedFanboy - Fangirl in this case.
* AssholeVictim - [[spoiler:Victor Marchand suffers a lot in this movie (poisoning, multiple broken bones) after meeting Rebecca. However, he's the leader of a drug ring and a murderer, and at least some of his injuries were his backfired attempts to kill Rebecca]].
* BigBad - Count Reneleau in the books, who Cathy unconsciously imagines as her husband, Kevin. [[spoiler:Victor Marchand is the villain in the actual movie.]]
* BondOneLiner - The page quote. Would be a great parody if straight versions weren't just as cheesy.

* DeconstructiveParody

* TheEighties

* ManicPixieDreamGirl - A lot of the movie is actually kind of like this.

* OnlySaneMan - Alan [=McMann=], though that starts to break down.
* PrettyInMink - Several, including the furs Cathy buys when she's Rebecca.

* TheUnfairSex - Yes and no. Cathy does sleep with Alan, but as Rebecca, and she still thinks he's Dimitri, her sidekick. Plus lovemaking isn't Cathy and Kevin's problem. It's just that he's a condescending, controlling jerk.

* YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle - An apparent ending really isn't.

Rebecca Ryan, a [[DistaffCounterpart Lady]] JamesBond {{Expy}} (although she seems to be more of a private detective than a secret agent), is the main character in a popular series of novels by Margaret [=McMann=]. Her son, Alan, has been living the life of a playboy, until one day a woman shows up claiming to be Rebecca, and causing all sorts of trouble.

* [[spoiler:AssholeVictim]] - Victor Marchand suffers a lot in this movie (poisoning, multiple broken bones) after meeting Rebecca. [[spoiler:However, he's the leader of a drug ring and a murderer, and at least some of his injuries were his backfired attempts to kill Rebecca]].

* HeyItsThatGuy - Victor Marchand is a very young [[Film/CasinoRoyale Rene]] [[Film/QuantumOfSolace Mathis]].