A budding friendship develops between a dog and a robot in 1980s New York City in Robot Dreams. Living an isolated existence in his New York City apartment, Dog orders for himself an Amica 2000 robot. Dog and Robot become fast friends, exploring the city to the sounds of Earth, Wind, & Fire’s “September.” However, following a trip to Ocean Beach, Robot finds himself rusted in place in the sand and unable to move. With the beach closed for the season, Dog is forced to leave his new friend lying in the sand, not knowing if he’ll see him again.
Robot Dreams Synopsis
Robot Dreams is an animated fantasy film co-written and directed by Spanish filmmaker Pablo Berger (Blancanieves). Similar to a film such as Shaun the Sheep, the plot of Robot Dreams is told entirely without dialogue. The title of the film is in reference to the multiple fantasy dream sequences imagined by Robot, including a scene in a field with dancing flowers. While waiting out the months before the beach reopens, Dog ends up going on his side adventures, such as going bowling with a snowman and having a memorable date with his neighbour Duck.
My Thoughts on Robot Dreams
When it comes down to it, Robot Dreams has a rather simple narrative of two friends who are forced apart and long to be reunited. The lack of dialogue in the film lets the wonderful hand-drawn visuals of Robot Dreams tell the story. The result is a film that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
A minor criticism I have about Robot Dreams is how the plot features much repetition, as it appears that Robot has escaped his predicament on the beach, only for it to be revealed that it was only a dream. However, the plot changes things up a bit in the third act of the film, as Robot is found by a raccoon scavenger named Rascal, who ends up repairing Robot. This leads to the heartwrenching final moments of the film, as Robot must choose between his new friend and his original one.
As such, the success of Robot Dreams comes from how much you come to care about this relationship between a Dog and his Robot. Even though they are together for only a short time before they are forced to separate, you can feel the connection between these two protagonists. Altogether, Robot Dreams is a film I recommend checking out.