DREAM COME TRUE
Nominated for Best Animated Feature at this year’s Oscars, the gorgeous film Robot Dreams finally hits theaters – and it’s the best movie of the summer so far.
Vibrant illustration of 1980s New York City
If you heard the film Robot Dreams being called among the five Best Animated Feature nominees at this year’s Oscars ceremony and said, “What the hell is that?” you are not alone. This intrepid little movie, directed by Spanish filmmaker Pablo Berger, has taken its sweet time making its way to the United States. After premiering to raves at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Robot Dreams slowly trickled down through a few other festivals and had a brief, under-the-radar Oscar-qualifying run in the US. But the film’s distributor, Neon, didn’t get it widely in front of stateside eyes before the Oscars, leaving many to question their release strategy and go so far as to claim they bungled the movie’s momentum entirely.
“Love is the one tongue everyone can understand…”
Heartwarming illustration of Dog and Robot
Where this dialogue-free animated film can take you in just 102 minutes is nothing short of masterful. The movie is a feat of sight and sound, with delightful foley work and a beautifully composed score keeping its pacing at a pleasant stroll. It’s because the movie has no dialogue that it’s even more potent. Robot Dreams aims for your soul with a story that transcends language; its hard-hitting emotional moments don’t come from words but from actions.
Vibrant illustration of Central Park
For its first 20 minutes, Robot Dreams brims with the sweet, sunny vitality of a hot summer day in the city. After Robot arrives, Dog assembles his purchase and finds that, although Robot needs a little guidance when it comes to assimilating with the public, this was money well spent. The two are fast friends, sipping Tab together as they stroll down the street past laundromats, bakeries, barber shops, and electronics stores, each filled with their own unique furry characters.
Fun illustration of Dog and Robot roller skating
A trip to Central Park introduces the film’s narrative centerpiece when Robot and Dog hold hands while searching for a spot to rollerskate. Seeing the two friends killing it on their skates, a nearby lion breaks out a boombox, and the pair skate-dance to Earth, Wind, and Fire’s “September.”
Vibrant illustration of Coney Island
This needle drop is a critical part of Robot Dreams that will find its way back into the story again and again, somehow never tiring the viewer despite “September” being a great yet classically overplayed song.
Illustration of Robot in water
A lovely piano cover of the tune pops up in the next scene, when Dog and Robot take a trip to Coney Island to relax at the beach. Putting a robot in water seems like a risky move, and even though this advanced piece of technology can swim and dive, Robot still needs some oil to be able to move after coming into contact with the ocean.
Heartwarming illustration of Dog and Robot on the beach
There’s just one problem: That day was the end of the season, and the beach is now closed until next summer. And though Dog tries everything in his power – legal or otherwise – to get down to the beach to save his friend, he runs into problems every time.
Illustration of the seasons changing
Suddenly, this cheerful little movie becomes terribly gloomy, but Berger and co-writer Sara Varon handle this twist with careful hands and realism. We’re reminded that occasional cracks in a friendship can sometimes be no one’s fault, but that doesn’t make them hurt any less.
Illustration of Robot’s programming
Though this is a seemingly straightforward sentiment, Robot Dreams repeatedly affirms it with magnificently animated vignettes, giving audiences a little taste of what each character is up to. Dog tries his best to make a new pal while he waits for his best buddy to be accessible to him again, but in the isolating world of New York City, it proves difficult to connect.
Illustration of Robot helping others
Robot, however, has a somewhat simpler time, becoming a helpful staple to the creatures who frequent the beach in its off-season. Other times, Berger and Varon will let us peer inside Robot’s programming, where he imagines fantastical scenarios where he and Dog are together again that will leave you grinning ear to ear until we’re thrust back into a colder reality.
Emotional illustration of the final reunion
Of course, Dog eventually returns to the beach when it reopens. But the reunion does not go as he or Robot had hoped, with its final act taking you on an intense ride – one that not even the stoniest of viewers will be able to withstand. It’s a melancholic denouement, but undeniably authentic.
Poster for Robot Dreams
Robot Dreams will cradle your heart before breaking it, only to tape it back together again, a little scarred but still functioning. See it with a friend who would handle yours with the same care.
