Pablo Berger’s Academy Award nominated Robot Dreams is a sugary, animated confection that tries its damndest to tug at our heartstrings but ends up overstaying the sweetness of its welcome. Based on Sara Varon’s 2007 graphic novel, this tale of loneliness and companionship in a reimagined 1980s New York City is visually delightful yet ultimately too soppy and languid to justify its feature-length format. The film introduces us to Dog, its lonely protagonist who inhabits a cosy apartment in the East Village.
His days are spent in a monotonous routine of frozen dinners, solo games of Pong, and wistful gazes at the bustling city around him. This melancholy is upended by a TV ad for the Amica 2000: a do-it-yourself robot buddy that promises to alleviate his loneliness. Dog promptly orders one, and thus begins his brief but joyful companionship with Robot - an amiable machine whose design evokes a smaller, cuddlier version of The Iron Giant.
Berger’s fauna-fused New York is instantly reminiscent of Disney’s Zootopia , but with the softness of Saturday morning Cartoon Network essentials. This detailed world-building is a feast for the eyes, yet the film’s lack of dialogue—relying on nothing but exclamations and pop song snippets—leaves its narrative somewhat malnourished. A still from ‘Robot Dreams’ The crux of the film is the silent, soulful bond between Dog and his metallic companion.
Their adventures—roller-skating through Central Park to Earth, Wind & Fire�.
