Robot Dreams Review: A Silent Film That Speaks Volumes
Streaming Movie Review - Animation - Hulu
Since Best Animated Film became a category at the Oscars in 2002, there are a few things that you can count on. Studios like Pixar, Disney, and Dreamworks will almost certainly be represented. There will usually be some kind of anime entry. And then there will be some obscure film that no one saw. Last year, that movie was Pablo Berger’s Robot Dreams. But with this stunning movie now available on Hulu, more people will finally have the opportunity to see this absolutely delightful tale of friendship.
Dog is lonely. Every night he eats his microwave dinner alone in front of the television, seeing the others in the city snuggled up with someone they care about. So when he sees an ad for a robot companion, he jumps at the opportunity to find a new friend. When Robot arrives, the two become instant friends. They play video games together, watch scary movies together, and put on elaborate roller skating routines together as they stroll the streets of 1980s New York City.
The drama comes when Dog and Robot visit the beach and are inadvertently separated when the beach closes for the season. They both have dreams of reuniting while they wait for the time when they will be together again.
Robot Dreams is one of the most poignant looks at friendship I have ever watched. There is no dialogue in this movie, with all emotion and plot being conveyed with the odd grunt or sigh and some of the most beautiful hand-drawn animation you would want to see. Based on the graphic novel by Sara Varon, this film explores its subject matter beautifully by tapping into the whimsy of dreams in a way that only animation can.
While not specifically aimed at young viewers, this film will still appeal to some kids. The backgrounds are filled to the brim with extra characters for Dog and Robot to interact with, and it is visually spectacular. But where a lot of animated movies are for kids and adults can enjoy, this is a film that is for adults that kids can enjoy. There is humor and joy and tears aplenty in this movie.
Because Robot Dreams doesn’t have dialogue, the soundtrack is important, and this one is perfect. In a pivotal scene, “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire plays a prominent role, and then that theme is remixed throughout the remainder of the film so that by the end, you will never again be able to hear it without tearing up.
One of the biggest problems facing people today is loneliness. Despite the number of ways that we have to connect, we often don’t know many people outside of our immediate orbit. Robot Dreams explores that sense of loneliness, but also the ways that friendships ebb and flow. The end left me breathless in the best way.
Robot Dreams is a silent film, but it still has a lot to say.
This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on November 30, 2024.