Pablo Berger’s Academy Award-nominated film, “Robot Dreams,” is a sugary, animated romanticization of urban solitude that seeks to stir our emotions but ultimately succumbs to its excessive sweetness. Adapted from Sara Varon’s 2007 graphic novel, this story delves into the themes of loneliness and companionship within a reimagined 1980s New York City. Despite its visual appeal, the film’s languid pacing makes its feature-length format feel overextended.
The protagonist, Dog, embodies solitude in a cozy East Village apartment. His life is a monotonous loop of frozen dinners, solo games of Pong, and wistful glimpses at the vibrant city around him. His dreary existence is disrupted when he sees a TV advertisement for the Amica 2000, a do-it-yourself robot companion designed to alleviate loneliness. Enthusiastic about the idea, Dog orders one, leading to a brief but joyous companionship with Robot, an affectionately designed machine reminiscent of a smaller, cuddlier version of The Iron Giant.
Berger crafts a fauna-fused New York that immediately brings Disney’s Zootopia to mind, yet with the comfortable familiarity of a Saturday morning Cartoon Network show. This meticulous world-building is visually stunning. Nonetheless, the film’s decision to rely solely on exclamations and snippets of pop songs, eschewing full dialogues, leaves its storytelling feeling somewhat malnourished.
Central to the film is the silent yet expressive bond between Dog and his metallic friend. Their adventures—roller-skating through Central Park to the soulful tunes of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” and diving into the coastline—are beautifully animated, supported by Alfonso de Vilallonga’s buoyant musical score. However, Berger’s choice to elongate these charming moments into extended sequences diminishes their intended emotional impact, turning what could be touching vignettes into protracted, syrupy tableaux.
The story takes a melancholic turn during a seaside outing when Robot becomes paralyzed on the sand. Unable to rescue his friend for months, Dog is left heartbroken and continues his routine in solitude, punctuated by dream sequences that give the film its Asimovian title.
. Trapped, Robot experiences fourth-wall-breaking fantasies—like a liberation along the Yellow Brick Road amidst tap-dancing sunflowers. While imaginative, these interludes extend longer than necessary, disrupting the pace.
Initially, the film’s gentle pacing feels like a leisurely stroll through Berger’s intricately designed world. But as scenes drag on, a sense of inertia sets in, making it clear that “Robot Dreams” might have been more effective as a shorter film. The repetitive nature of Dog and Robot’s separate mini-dramas adds to this sense of narrative stagnation.
By the time Berger hints at a reunion, the film’s prolonged wandering has undercut the impact of its emotional climax. The inertia encountered earlier saps the intended poignancy from the resolution. A tighter, more dynamic pacing or a more concise montage could have infused the film’s middle section with needed energy, making the conclusion more resonant.
Despite these pacing issues, “Robot Dreams” possesses undeniable charms. Its exploration of loneliness and friendship emanates from a place of genuine empathy, touching on universally relatable themes. Nonetheless, these themes feel somewhat pedestrian compared to last year’s standout animated features like “The Boy and the Heron” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Indeed, as an animated short, “Robot Dreams” might have been an Academy Award contender without displacing deserving films like “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” or the critically underrated Japanese anime, “Blue Giant.”
Entrenched in urbanity and the quest for connection, “Robot Dreams” melds nostalgic aesthetics with modern cinematic techniques, aiming to evoke a bittersweet ache in its viewers. The film currently runs in theaters, inviting audiences to dive into its richly animated, albeit overextended, exploration of urban loneliness and robotic companionship. While it does not entirely succeed in its emotional aspirations, its heart remains in the right place, offering a tender, if somewhat syrupy, ode to friendship amid the solitary backdrop of a bustling metropolis.
