A unique, thought-provoking animated adventure for kids?!
IN YOUR DREAMS is a cautionary tale in regards to escapism. The premise is as familiar as the imaginary scenarios its characters traipse through.
Worry wart tweenies Stevie (Jolie Hoang- Rappaport) and her hyperactive brother Elliot(Elias Janssan), notice increasing friction between their teacher mom (Cristin Miloti) and struggling musician dad (Simu Liu). Their parents are not warm to each other as often as they once were, they don’t cook breakfast for each other as often, and money is becoming a bigger issue ‐ perhaps, unsurprisingly, considering the kind of schmaltzy acoustic junk paddled by her dad.
Hoping to restore their household to its former harmonious state, Stevie turns to a magic book Elliot finds in the thrift store basement, which promises that the Sandman (Omid Djalili) will make her dreams ,quite literally, come true. Along for the ride is Elliot’s long- lost favo stuffed animal Baloney Tony (voiced by Craig Robinson) a faded, one-eyed giraffe who smells like baloney.
Director Alex Woo and writer Stanley Moore, co-direct with Erik Benson in a screenplay that handles Stevie’s angst in a meaningful way while retaining its childlike wonder. Plus it’s, in parts, laugh-out- funny, which parents will appreciate.
Whilst there are a few scenes that could potentially frighten toddlers, overall IN YOUR DREAMS is great entertainment for the entire family including grandparents.
Stevie is a little like Riley from Inside Out, in so much that she fights against change. In Inside Out, Riley runs away. In this film, Stevie could get lost in her dreams just trying to find out what was once, but may never be again. Be careful what you wish for, is the caveat here. The audio description by Tristan Snyder as narrator is great.
IN YOUR DREAMS is fanciful and imaginative, with a compelling narrative that hits home, especially in its relatability, making this one of the best animated feature this season.
