28th Jun2024

‘Robot Dreams’ Review

by James Rodrigues

Based on the comic by Sara Varon | Written and Directed by Pablo Berger

Based on Sara Varon’s 2007 comic of the same name, Robot Dreams is brought alive by writer/director Pablo Berger. Unfolding in a version of ‘80s New York where animals inhabit the world, the story follows Dog as he grows tired of being alone. In an effort to combat loneliness, he places an order for a robot friend to share his life with. When Robot arrives, a friendship blossoms between the pair as they enjoy their days skating, at the beach, and listening to Earth, Wind and Fire’s September.

Among Berger’s prior filmography is Blancanieves, a 2012 retelling of the Snow White fairy tale as a black-and-white silent movie. A similar tactic is used in this animation, as the story is brought alive wordlessly while saying so much through the central pairing. The journeys taken touch upon loneliness and friendship through the character’s personal growth, resulting in sequences that are enjoyable yet also saddening.

The 2D animation does wonderfully in realising this world where animals and robots live in harmony, while Berger also uses it in ways that are playful and eye-catching. The use of dream sequences may feel a bit repetitive in the middle, yet it never forgets about the themes while playing with the aspect ratio, utilising musical segments, and allowing for the sound design to breathe life into the story.

What is key to this feature is how the beating heart is never forgotten. Born from a need to combat loneliness, the bond between the leads stays constantly on the mind regardless of where the characters are in their lives. As the emotion swells while depicting the characters’ growth, the bittersweet feeling leaves this as an effective companion piece to Celine Song’s Past Lives. Robot Dreams is a melancholic look at friendships which has bundles of charm amidst an impressive animated style.

****½  4.5/5

Robot Dreams is available to rent/buy on digital platforms now.

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