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Christa Banister (Crosswalk) writes, "If Weitz really wanted to use the film as a springboard for his opinion about the state of the world, he should've taken a cue from better executed, less wishy-washy satire like Wag the Dog or Election. But as a lightweight, escapist comedy for those looking for something to watch on a Friday night, this wildly uneven farce may just do the trick. Or you could save money and add it to your Netflix queue in the coming months."

Harry Forbes (Catholic News Service) says, "There are, in fact, probably too many targets … but this is on the whole an amusing satire of fame and politics, despite some elements that on paper might raise eyebrows." He adds, "Weitz carefully avoids most of the bad-taste pitfalls, but some may still find the terrorist business insensitive fodder for comedy. … But Weitz also underscores the paradox of how those who set out to destroy American culture can be smitten with it. On the other hand, the moderate portrayal of Omer's relatives is one of the screen's more positive depictions of Arab-Americans."

Jenn Wright (Hollywood Jesus) says, "It would be nice to be able to say that, in the midst of the broad satire, Weitz offers some glimmer of hope, or some solution to the idolatrous craze that has become the American dream. Unfortunately, there is a distinct lack of anything—or anyone—acting as a positive influence. Instead, we see myriad examples of manipulation, avarice, naïveté, and willful ignorance, with very little sanity to balance the pessimism."

Christopher Lyon (Plugged In) says, "One thing is clear after sitting through American Dreamz: If Mandy Moore could sneak on to American Idol, she'd have a real shot at winning the thing. The girl sounds good, even singing the ridiculous numbers voiced by the show's contestants. But the film isn't really about the singing. Unfortunately, it's not about the laughing, either. … As a satire, the effort falls flat. The targets are too broad, the observations tired, and the jokes stale."

Some mainstream critics are trying to forget these Dreamz, while others are giving Weitz credit for trying to write a warm-hearted political comedy.

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