IMDb 5 2018 HD

Dear Dictator

Dear Dictator

2018
Comedy
90 min NR USA
5.506 / 10
5 IMDB

When political turmoil forces a British-Caribbean dictator to flee his island nation, he seeks refuge and hides with a rebellious teenage girl in suburban America, and ends up…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Lisa Addario / Joe Syracuse
Starring
Michael Caine / Odeya Rush / Katie Holmes / Seth Green / Jason Biggs / Adrian Voo / Jackson Beard / Fish Myrr

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

quirky amusing uneven charming solid peculiar satirical predictable enjoyable disappointing engaging

Reviews

G
Georgia Miller
Apr 9, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

There's a whimsical charm to 'Dear Dictator' that makes it an enjoyable, if not entirely groundbreaking, watch. Michael Caine is a standout, offering a performance that is both subtly amusing and surprisingly poignant as the fallen leader. Odeya…

A
Arthur Bell
Apr 9, 2026
2.0 / 5
2.0

'Dear Dictator' attempts a clever fusion of political satire and teen comedy, but the execution falls short. Michael Caine delivers a characteristically dignified performance as the exiled dictator, but even his presence can’t entirely salvage a script that…

P
Penelope Davies
Apr 9, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

A delightful, if slightly uneven, romp, 'Dear Dictator' offers a refreshing take on the mentor-mentee relationship. Michael Caine is perfectly cast as the displaced autocrat, bringing a dry wit and unexpected vulnerability to the role. Odeya Rush holds…

B
Bernard Finch
Apr 9, 2026
2.5 / 5
2.5

This is a film built on a high-concept conceit that promises more than it ultimately delivers. The central pairing of Michael Caine, embodying a weary, exiled strongman, and Odeya Rush, a teen navigating the treacherous waters of high…

E
Eleanor Vance
Apr 9, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

'Dear Dictator' presents a rather peculiar premise: a deposed dictator finds refuge with a suburban teen and helps her orchestrate a high school coup. Michael Caine, as the titular character, lends a familiar gravitas that somewhat anchors the…

FAQs

The film's premise strongly suggests social commentary, particularly on adolescent social structures and the dynamics of power within high schools. By having a dictator advise a teenager on overthrowing 'mean girls,' it likely satirises both political manipulation and the often-draconian social rules that can exist among teenagers, highlighting the absurdity of absolute power in any context.