The first few minutes of Robot Dreams are so deceptively simple and pleasant that it’s hard to think of a conflict that could keep the film moving. But something does happen—life happens, which sounds annoyingly vague, but it’s true. Life happens, and the rest of the film is about how Dog and Robot survive the specific pain of living. It’s at once poignant and delightful, filled with surprising moments that shouldn’t work, but do. It feels incredibly human even though there are no people in sight. It says a lot about the crisis of loneliness and the importance of moving on even though it’s a silent movie. And then there’s that one scene that breaks the fourth wall most adorably, proving that Robot Dreams is anything but the straightforward film it seemed to be in the beginning. Consistently, however, it is a touching movie. Whether it ends up breaking or warming your heart is just something you have to look out for.
"A wordless wonder that will live long in the memory."
— Michael Leader
"In Robot Dreams, the bold clarity of the line drawings matches the clean simplicity of the plot — which, perhaps ironically, fires our imaginations even further."
— Bilge Ebiri
A lonely dog's friendship with his robot companion takes a sad turn when an unexpected malfunction forces him to abandon Robot at the beach. Will Dog ever meet Robot again?
In 1980s New York, Dog decides to purchase a companion, Robot, to address his loneliness. All goes well until Robot’s joints rust up after a swim, forcing Dog to make a hard decision about where to leave his friend.
That ending, which sent me into a crying spell for a good minute.
It’s like BoJack Horseman if you gave its tone a 180-degree switch.
Oscars
1 nomination
Cannes
1 nomination
LAFCA
1 nomination
European Film Awards
1 win
Goya Awards
2 wins, 2 nominations
