A Profound Exploration of Friendship’s Value

Robot Dreams warms your soul as a beautifully animated reminder of friendship’s value and the deep loss felt in its absence. Spanish filmmaker Pablo Berger is sublime in a dialogue-free adventure that whisks you back to a vibrant early ’80s New York City. Toes will tap as Earth, Wind, and Fire’s classic “September” fuels a groovy soundtrack of uplifting hits. The film honestly addresses the difficulties some have in making personal connections. Loneliness can feel like an unbearable weight, but finding a significant other parts clouds of darkness to let rays of sunshine through.

Dog sits in his Manhattan apartment watching TV late at night. He sighs while flipping through hilarious infomercials when a particular advertisement for an AMICA 2000 robot catches his attention. Dog picks up the phone and excitedly dials the 800 number to order a mechanical best friend. He’s over the moon when a giant cardboard box arrives several days later.

Pigeons gather on his fire escape to watch Dog fumble through the assembly instructions. He’s cautious when Robot opens its eyes and springs to life as a blank canvas. Everything it sees and hears is a new experience. Dog takes Robot outside to the bustling East Village streets to soak up New York City’s diverse splendor, and later, they take the subway uptown to roller-skate in Central Park. Robot doesn’t know his own strength. He twirls Dog like a hurricane, much to the delight of the intrigued crowd. Dog is filled with happiness when Robot holds his hand later that day on the couch.

Robot Dreams

4.5/5

Release Date May 31, 2024

Director Pablo Berger

Cast Ivan Labanda , Tito Trifol , Rafa Calvo , José García Tos , José Luis Mediavilla

Runtime 1hr 42min

Writers Pablo Berger , Sara Varon

A Vibrant ’80s Setting

NEON

A trip to Coney Island takes a fateful turn. Dog and Robot have a wonderful time exploring the busy boardwalk. They eat hot dogs, ride the roller coaster, and settle in on the crowded beach, but it’s the ocean that truly mesmerizes Robot. The pair have a blast snorkeling and playing in the water, but the fun comes to a screeching halt when Robot short circuits coming out of the water. A worried Dog lays his beloved friend in the sand and races home to grab his toolbox. He’s stunned to return later and find that the beach is now closed until next June.

Robot Dreams follows two paths after Robot gets stuck in the breezy first act. We see Dog’s significant efforts to retrieve his lost friend. You’d think Dog getting to the beach and picking Robot up would be easy, but to say it’s not is a vast understatement. Meanwhile, Robot faces its own extraordinary interactions while unable to move. Several are absolutely devastating, while others capture your imagination in a truly profound way. Robot fantasizes about what’s happening around it in the outside world, thus the film’s title.

Refreshing 2D Animation

NEON

Berger (Blancanieves, Abracadabra) adapts Sara Varon’s acclaimed children’s comic with magnificent artistry. Robot Dreams looks amazing. It’s a welcome breath of fresh air to the CGI onslaught of big studio animation. Berger’s 2D, hand-drawn approach fills the screen with nuance and subtlety. Dog and Robot’s excursions have fun, eye-popping backgrounds. Just as in real life, New York City’s streets are loaded with all sorts of wacky characters. There’s an inherent hipness from the critter banging drums in the subway to the duck flying a kite in the park.

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Berger’s focus on accurately illustrating the period setting brings further tinges of sentimental reflection. You can’t help but feel melancholic as the Twin Towers loom majestically above the city. Then smile ear-to-ear as the characters use old-school tokens to enter mass transit while popping cassette tapes into their Sony Walkmans. Robot Dreams fondly details a bygone era with enthusiasm. The ’80s had gadgets aplenty, but they weren’t electronic tethers like the cold, wireless dependence of today. There’s a sneaking suspicion that Berger’s taking a lighthearted jab at modern life.

The Whimsical

NEON

Robot Dreams keeps the animated narrative grounded. Robot has some abilities as a machine, but Dog and the supporting characters are reflectively human in their personas. This is pivotal as Berger explores the crushing tragedy of their separation. The way Dog must deal with law enforcement and frustrating bureaucracy reflects honest truths — we’ve all been annoyed when external factors make resolving a simple problem a nightmare. Even worse, both Dog and Robot ache for what’s been lost. They found happiness together but were cruelly torn apart by chance.

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How we treat each other takes center stage. Darker themes of bullying, exploitation, and just plain meanness are deftly explored. Berger’s script has Dog and Robot facing adversity, but they are never overwhelmed by sadness. There’s always a flicker of hope in their daunting quest. The film achieves heartfelt greatness and it’s easy to see why it earned its 2024 Oscar nomination for Best Animated Film. Robot Dreams leads to a surprising and thoughtful conclusion without uttering a single word. A good friend will always make the best decision for your well-being. The ending lingers like Robot humming “September” with joyful exuberance.

Robot Dreams is being released by NEON. It is currently available in New York with expansion to Los Angeles on June 7th and staggered national distribution thereafter. You can watch the trailer below.

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