Joseph The Dreamer

Joseph The Dreamer is a live-action film adaptation of the bible story, 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'.

Plot
Joseph is the youngest of Jacob's eleven sons and the favourite child of Jacob and Rachel, who was thought to be infertile; thus making his brothers jealous when Joseph grows arrogant and conceited when Jacob and Rachel spoil him with gifts, including a multicolored coat.

One night, Joseph has a dream of the sheep his brothers are tending to is attacked by wolves, who slew the flock's ram. The next day, Joseph's brothers trick Joseph into watching the herd while they slack off, but a pack of wolves attack, nearly killing Joseph until Jacob steps in and drives the wolves away. Jacob gets angry at his other sons for abandoning Joseph, but they are all shocked when Joseph notices the ram had been killed like his dream had predicted.

The next night, Joseph has another dream, this time showing one beautiful and golden sheaf of wheat surrounded by eleven dried sheaves, the dried wheat soon fall one by one inward towards the golden sheaf. Joseph wakes up quickly, but quickly falls back asleep for another dream, seeing a star in the night sky surrounded by eleven other stars, the star in the middle shining brighter than the other eleven. The next day, Joseph's brothers all mock Joseph asking if he had any more dreams, Joseph tells his brothers about his dreams and Jacob, overhearing, predicts that Joseph will supersede his brothers, angering his brothers. Joseph asks why he saw 11 other sheaves and stars if he should have seen ten, his mother reveals she is pregnant again.

Months later, Rachel dies giving birth to Joseph's younger brother, Benjamin. Joseph's brothers decide they've had enough of Joseph and plot to kill him, however, Judah says that no matter how annoying Joseph is, he's still their family, when Joseph overhears them, they drop him in a pit in the ground. That night, Joseph climbs out of the pit and returns home, but Jacob is shocked, as Joseph's brothers said Joseph had went missing, Joseph lies to protect his brothers, but his brothers still decide to get rid of Joseph, thinking he'd use the story of what actually happened against them.

That night, Joseph's eldest brother, Reuben, enters Joseph's tent stating that he and the others want to apologize for what happened, Joseph believes him and follows him away, but when they are far enough away, Joseph's brothers sell him to slave traders for 20 pieces of silver, Joseph's brothers take Joseph's coat and tell Jacob that he was killed by wolves.

In Egypt, Joseph is made the servant of the Egyptian captain Potiphar, who sees Joseph's hard working and becomes his personal attendant after Joseph exposes a shifty horse trader from trying to con Potiphar out of more money, Joseph falls for Potiphar's beautiful daughter, Asenath, and proves as asset to Potiphar. One night, Potiphar is haunted by a nightmare, Joseph reveals his ability to interperet dreams, saying the nightmare signifies that someone close to Potiphar will betray.

Potiphar's wife, Zuleikha, who has a reputation for having affairs with the servants without Potiphar's knowledge, tries to seduce Joseph, but when he refuses as he does not wish to betray Potiphar, he runs and Zuleikha claims Joseph tried to rape her. When Potiphar orders Joseph's execution, Zuleikha confesses to what actually happened and Potiphar reduces the sentence to imprisonment. While imprisoned, Joseph meets 2 men, the royal Cup-Bearer for the Pharaoh and the royal Baker, who say they were imprisoned because the Pharaoh believes one of them tried to poison him.

The following day, Joseph overhears the Cup-Bearer explaining his dream, he was in the garden when he stood infront of 3 dead vines, when he touches them, they came to life and gave the most juicy grapes, which he crushed to wine and served to the Pharaoh, Joseph interprets the dream as meaning that the Cup-Bearer will be released from the prison in 3 days and will be returned to service, the Baker decides to tell Joseph his own dream, hoping for a similar meaning, in his dream he has 3 baskets of baked goods and is taking them to the Pharaoh when he is attacked by a flock of birds that devour the baked goods before turning their attention to him, Joseph first claims he doesn't know what the dream means, but the Baker doesn't believe him, Joseph admits that be believes the dream means that in 3 days, the Pharaoh will order the Baker's execution and birds will feed on his flesh, angered, the Baker attacks Joseph, until the Cup-Bearer calms him down.

3 days later, the Cup-Bearer and Baker are both taken from the prison, Joseph telling the Cup-Bearer to tell the Pharaoh of his gift, the Cup-Bearer promises he will, that night, Joseph sees the Baker's execution out his cell window. The Cup-Bearer forgets his promise to Joseph and Joseph is kept in the prison for another two years while Asenath supplies him with food.

After two years, the Pharaoh is haunted by nightmares, the Cup-Bearer remembers his promise to Joseph and tells the Pharaoh that Joseph can interpret the dreams meanings, Potiphar is asked to retrieve Joseph, upon seeing him, they reconcile, when Joseph asks Potiphar what has happened to Asenath and Zuleikha, Potiphar reveals that Asenath greatly misses Joseph and that after what happened, Zuleikha became so stricken with guilt that she took her own life.

Joseph is taken to the Pharaoh's throneroom, where he refuses to kneel before the Pharaoh, stating that his faith says he can only kneel before God, the Pharaoh appreciates Joseph's honesty, stating that he knows Joseph won't lie to him to save his own life, the Pharaoh tells Joseph his dream, he's standing by the nile where nearby, seven fat and healthy cows are grazing, when the sky turns red, seven skinny and sickly cows come out of the nile and devour the healthy cattle, but are still just as skinny and sickly as before, perhaps even worse. Joseph asks if there is more, but the Pharaoh is shocked, as he never told anyone else about his second dream, but tells Joseph, he's standing infront of seven healthy ears of grain, when a sandstorm strikes, seven dead ears of grain come out of the ground and devour the healthy ears, but remain as dead and inedible as they were before.

Joseph claims that the Pharaoh's dreams are a warning of God's plans, the seven fine cattle and ripe ears of grain represent seven plentiful years of bumper crops and the seven wretched cows and withered ears of grain represent seven years of famine, the Pharaoh doesn't believe Joseph and orders him to be returned to the dungeon. Potiphar apologizes to Joseph, but Joseph claims he's alright as he knows he's right about the Pharaoh's dreams. That night, the Pharaoh is haunted by his nightmares again, his wife tries to comfort him, when Asenath enters and Pharaoh reveals he knows of her feelings for Joseph, Asenath reminds Pharaoh that he said it himself that Joseph wouldn't lie about Pharaoh's dreams even at the risk of his own demise, even realising that the Pharaoh himself seemed reluctant to have Joseph executed.

Joseph is returned to the Pharaoh's throneroom and is asked by the Pharaoh if he has thought about his dreams, Joseph claims he has and still believes the same meaning. Pharaoh asks that, if Joseph is right, if there is anything that can be done to prevent the famine, Joseph says there is no way to stop the famine from happening, but there is a way to prepare for it, during the seven years of bumper crops, Pharaoh must collect at least one fifth of the crops gathered and store them away for the years of famine. Impressed, Pharaoh appoints Joseph as his new Governor and renames him "Zaphnath-Paaneah", Joseph is also given Asenath to be his wife. Potiphar talks to Joseph about Asenath being Joseph's wife, Joseph admits how he feels about Asenath and Potiphar tells Joseph to treat her kindly.

In the following years, Joseph's plan saves Egypt from starvation and he and Asenath have 2 sons together, Manasseh and Ephraim. Back in Canaan, Joseph's family are struck by the famine and Jacob tells his sons that they can get food in Egypt, the brothers head to Egypt, but Joseph recognizes them, when they attempt to purchase some food with the silver they sold Joseph for, Joseph, not recognized by his brothers, accusses them of being spies and denies them anything, they claim that their father and youngest brother are starving at home, Joseph says that if they can prove they are telling the truth, he will allow them to buy as much grain as they need, all they have to do is go back home and return with their youngest brother, the brothers agree, but Joseph stops them before they leave, requesting one of the brothers stay behind to assure the others return, the second eldest brother, Simeon, volunteers to stay and Joseph orders him arrested until the brothers return.

For three days, Jacob refuses to let Benjamin leave Canaan, but the brothers eventually convince him to let Benjamin come to Egypt with them. When they arrive, Joseph talks to them about their family and finds out that they lied to their father about what happened to him, Joseph releases Simeon and hosts a feast in their honor. When they attempt to leave the following day, Joseph orders them brought back to his house, stating that one of them had stolen his precious silver chalice, after searching all of the brother's sacks, he finishes with Benjamin, and finds his chalice inside, Joseph orders Benjamin arrested, but his brothers beg for him to show Benjamin mercy, claiming he would never steal.

Joseph is shocked when his brothers confess to selling him to slaves and is shocked by how guilty they feel about the whole thing, realising they are changed men, Joseph asks the guards to leave the room and to leave Benjamin with them, Joseph admits to who he really is and the brothers are happily reunited. Joseph introduces them to his wife and sons.

Days later, Jacob is brought to Egypt where he is reunited with Joseph too, and introduced to Joseph's new family. Joseph is given his precious colored coat once more, but instead of putting it on again, he instead gives it to Benjamin as a gift.

Cast

 * Michael Copon as Joseph
 * Karen David as Asenath
 * Arnold Vosloo as Potiphar
 * Erick Avari as Jacob
 * Joseph Brothers
 * Victor Webster as Reuben
 * Grant Heslov as Simeon
 * Tyler Mane as Levi
 * Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Judah
 * Peter Facinelli as Dan
 * Jeremy Crutchley as Naphtali
 * Temuera Morrison as Gad
 * Omid Djalili as Asher
 * Billy Zane as Issachar
 * Simon Quartermane as Zebulun
 * Rami Malek as Benjamin
 * Ralf Moeller as Pharoh
 * Natalie Becker as Rachel
 * Kelly Hu as Zuleikha
 * Patricia Velasquez as Pharoh's Wife
 * Odid Fehr as Cup-Bearer
 * Branscombe Richmond as Baker
 * TBA as Manasseh
 * TBA as Ephraim
 * Steven Brand as Shifty Horse Trader