The new animated film “In Your Dreams” delivers a message that is both mature and refreshingly honest: “there is no magic solution to real-life problems.” This is the lesson learned by the film’s young protagonist, Stevie (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport), who tries to magically save her parents’ failing marriage.
The film, an adventure-comedy opening Friday, follows Stevie and her brother Elliot (Elias Janssen) on a quest to find The Sandman. Stevie begins the journey believing she “can fix this on my own,” but “grapples with the discovery” that some problems are too big for a magical fix, as Hoang-Rappaport explains.
This realistic core is what attracted a high-profile cast. Simu Liu, who voices the father, was “fascinated” by the idea of showing an “imperfect” family. He strongly feels that the “always happy” family myth is “not true” and that “it’s important” for kids to see realistic conflicts.
Directed by Pixar alum Alex Woo (“WALL·E”) and animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks, the film also stars Emmy winner Cristin Milioti as the Mom and Craig Robinson as Baloney Tony, a stuffed animal. Milioti and Liu even share a “beautiful” duet, a moment of harmony in the otherwise conflicted story.
The film’s conclusion is a powerful one. By denying its characters a simple, magical resolution, “In Your Dreams” validates the experiences of countless children who have faced family struggles. It suggests that acceptance and resilience are more powerful than any dream.