Director: Pablo Berger
Writers: Pablo Berger, Sara Varon
Stars: Ivan LaBanda, Albert Trifol Segarra, Rafa Calvo
Synopsis: The adventures and misfortunes of Dog and Robot in New York City during the 1980s.
Robot Dreams is an empathetic animated tale that captivates with its wordless storytelling. With its meditative pace and immersive 2D visuals, a far cry from current Hollywood counterparts like Illumination, this is an anthropomorphic cartoon for children and parents alike. Transporting the audience with a masterful soundscape to 1980s New York, this deeply human story invites them to experience the world of Dog and Robot with tenderness and heart.
The film, directed by Spanish filmmaker Pablo Berger, is adapted from Sara Varon’s 2007 graphic novel of the same name. Centered around Dog (Ivan LaBanda), the Twin Towers stand tall in the distance as the film introduces you to the canine protagonist alone in his apartment. The animation style of simple lines and not-too-bright colors match the feeling of its graphic counterpart. The detail is born out of the initial simplicity – this is clear-drawn animation with intent.
Microwaving his dinner and yearning for companionship, Dog watches the television in solitude before seeing an advertisement for an ‘Amica 2000’ robot. Fed up with seeing his reflection as a sole entity, he orders the robot companion. After a fast delivery and DIY construction, his Tinman-looking friend is born with long arms and a loving smile. An unbreakable bond between Dog and Robot instantly sparks – they begin doing everything together.
Strolling through the Zootopia-reminiscent city, sound designer Fabiola Ordoyo crafts an intricate coating of metropolitan sounds that add an immersive and authentic feel to New York. Whether they are eating a hot dog, sitting on a bench looking up at the Brooklyn Bridge, or even roller skating to Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September,” the visual and auditory storytelling achingly paint a beautiful picture of both character and setting.
On a Labor Day holiday, Dog is separated from Robot when a trip to Ocean Beach causes rust to set into Robot’s parts – Dog doesn’t have the strength to lift him. It is also the final day before the beach closes for the season. Dog promises Robot he will return with a box of tools when he can, but the authorities catch him when he attempts to break into the beach the next day.
Over the off season on Coney Island, Robot is left to dream in the sand. It is not an electric sheep he dreams of. Instead, it is his best friend in the whole world. It’s not starting a conversation about AI sentience; it is exploring the obstacles and joys of friendship in any form. So begins a tale of longing and the frailty of connection.
With needle drops placed with expert precision (“September” becomes the film’s anthem and will likely have the audience reach for the tissue box), the world of Robot Dreams is bittersweet and expertly storyboarded. Berger told the crew to watch Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd as inspiration, which is evident. As a love letter to the masters of silent cinema, Robot Dreams makes the audience feel deeply invested in characters that don’t utter a single word. There is friendship and love but also regret and loss. It’s never pessimistic, but it allows for melancholy – a traditional tale that speaks volumes about the human experience.
Throughout life, one of the core things we must learn as conscious beings is to seek connection. Loneliness can feel like a dark shadow that never draws in light, but friendship is the opening of the curtain that breathes life and love into one’s existence. The most important aspect of balancing the lonely and the connected is knowing when to let some things and some people pass through. Robot Dreams is the purest and most melancholic amalgamation of this concept. Calling the film ‘Past Lives for best friends’ would not be an unjust statement.
As people grow, mature, and change, they won’t necessarily know the same people they did a decade or two ago. For some, that is a complex concept to grasp. For some lucky ones, they will have lifelong friends. The conflict facing Dog and his journey back to Robot reflects life itself. Maturity comes from accepting that some people will not be in one’s life forever. Rather than grieve the times that were, there is wisdom in musing on what they gave at that time. They look out in the street and find peace seeing them living their lives in contentment. Through its Tintin-inspired visual palette, this film asks for love and thoughtful reflection to replace feelings of regret and remorse.
We all need to find our people in the world. If a dog and a robot can find their way in amongst the verve of ’80s New York with its busy streets, smoggy stations, and overcrowded beaches- anyone can. Robot Dreams is a triumph of tender, empathetic animated cinema. It doesn’t necessarily give the catharsis one wants, but it certainly provides the outcome that the film, and life itself, deserve.
