I'm quite surprised to see so many high ratings for this film - 10/10? Best film ever? Really??

This film had a germ of a good idea and the special effects are a plus point, there are even some solid jump scares. That said, the characters are pretty flat and underdeveloped ([spoiler]an antagonist for the main kid character, Cody (Jacob Tremblay), is literally just referred to as "bully" and is a generic character with no rhyme nor reason to be picking on Cody[/spoiler]) and the storyline feels like it could have done with about an extra half hour to unfold more, e.g. [spoiler]it was quite ridiculous that grieving parents Jessie and Mark, played by Kate Bosworth and Thomas Jane, just accepted and immediately exploited Cody's special powers, as if superpowers are a very unremarkable thing[/spoiler]. I think perhaps one of the biggest WTF moments for me was when [spoiler]Cody's dreams killed Mark but Jessie didn't take a moment to morn him or feel angry at Cody for taking her husband away from her, especially after she had tragically lost her biological son. She even ends the film continuing to live with and look after him[/spoiler]!

As for the ending, it was OK and probably sounded better on paper than the actual execution. [spoiler]There was also no explanation for why the kid had these powers; it just was, as if that was all that was needed.[/spoiler]

If you've got a spare 90 minutes or so and want to watch something fairly unchallenging and that is occasionally creepy, then _Before I Wake_ fits the bill. Beyond that, though, there are plenty of better films out there. I found the plot too ropey and the characters too flat to recommend this outside of a "it's not terrible but it's not great".