What Dreams May Come (1998)

Kernel Score: 81% · 2,442 ratings · Rated PG-13

Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance

Released: 1998-10-02

Runtime: 113 minutes

Is What Dreams May Come worth watching?

Depends on your taste. A man dies and travels through a painted-looking afterlife to find his wife. The visuals are bold and imaginative, but the story is heavy and sentimental. It works for some viewers and overwhelms others.

Watch it if you

  • like big, emotional fantasies about love and loss
  • enjoy imaginative visuals
  • can handle sad subject matter

Skip it if you

  • dislike sentimental, spiritual dramas
  • are sensitive to themes of death and suicide

Best for: Emotional night in

Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.

Where to watch What Dreams May Come

  • Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
  • Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube

US availability, updated 2026-10-22.

Overview

Chris Nielsen dies to find himself in a heaven more amazing than he could have ever dreamed of. There is one thing missing: his wife. After he dies, his wife Annie killed herself and went to hell. Chris decides to risk eternity in Hades for the small chance that he will be able to bring her back to heaven.

What Dreams May Come parents' guide: ages 11+

Parents need to know that this fantasy romance deals heavily with death, suicide, and vivid depictions of heaven and hell that may disturb younger or sensitive viewers.

  • Violence & scariness: Moderate — The story is built around a fatal car crash, the death of the couple's children, and frightening, surreal depictions of hell and lost souls.
  • Sex, romance & nudity: A little — Centered on a devoted husband-and-wife relationship with romantic affection but no explicit sexual content indicated.

Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG-13 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.

Movies like What Dreams May Come

If you liked What Dreams May Come, these are the movies we'd watch next.

  • It's a Wonderful Life (1946) — 91%: Classic fantasy about life, death and what matters.
  • A Matter of Life and Death (1946) — 87%: Romantic fantasy where love argues with fate.
  • Ghost (1990) — 82%: Love tested by death, with a supernatural twist.
  • Meet Joe Black (1998) — 85%: Fantasy romance that meets death in human form.
  • The Lovely Bones (2009) — 81%: A vividly imagined afterlife seen through a lost loved one.
  • About Time (2013) — 89%: Warm, emotional fantasy about love and time.

Director

Vincent Ward

Cast

  • Robin Williams as Chris Nielsen
  • Cuba Gooding Jr. as Albert Lewis
  • Annabella Sciorra as Annie Collins-Nielsen
  • Josh Paddock as Ian Nielsen
  • Jessica Brooks Grant as Marie Nielsen
  • Max von Sydow as The Tracker
  • Wilma Bonet as Angie
  • Lucinda Jenney as Mrs. Jacobs
  • Rosalind Chao as Leona
  • Matt Salinger as Reverend Hanley

What Dreams May Come FAQ

Is What Dreams May Come worth watching?

Depends on your taste. A man dies and travels through a painted-looking afterlife to find his wife. The visuals are bold and imaginative, but the story is heavy and sentimental. It works for some viewers and overwhelms others.

Where can I watch What Dreams May Come?

In the US you can rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.

Is What Dreams May Come OK for kids?

What Dreams May Come is rated PG-13. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that this fantasy romance deals heavily with death, suicide, and vivid depictions of heaven and hell that may disturb younger or sensitive viewers.

What movies are like What Dreams May Come?

If you liked What Dreams May Come, try It's a Wonderful Life, A Matter of Life and Death, Ghost and Meet Joe Black.