Part of growing up and healing is knowing that sometimes, an animated movie can still wreck you. Just ask any adult woman who watched Inside Out. And now, Netflix’s In Your Dreams is that for the children of divorce.
No matter your age when your parents get a divorce, it can still hurt. I was 14 going on 15 and I’m not over it. But what In Your Dreams does is heal that part of you that maybe thought you could have changed things. Stevie is a young girl who is aware of what’s going on with her parents and her fear of it all boils down to her thinking her brother Elliot ruined things.
But when the two embark on a journey to talk to the Sandman in the dream world, the realize quickly just how powerful their dreams can be. And just how much those dreams can alter their reality. One of the things that really makes this movie special is that it isn’t just about the dreams of Stevie and Elliot. We watch as their parents wrestle with giving up their dreams and dealing with their reality.
Alex Woo and Erik Benson brought us a magical world of breakfast dreams and music but grounded it in the real fear of a family being separated. I think everyone goes through a phase when even if their parents are still together, they feared they’d break up. One fight and you think that’s it. While some never know the pain of seeing one parent less than the other, it does exist there for so many of us. And In Your Dreams gives you a bit of healing and understanding of what parents go through too.
A perfect way for kids to cope
Part of what makes movies like In Your Dreams special is that it can give kids going through this a little hope. And even if it doesn’t work out for their parents, they know that they are trying just as Stevie and Elliot’s parents are. For so long, we’ve seen kids movies as just “entertainment” or with subtle messaging only.
But modern animation has changed that. Movies like this leave a lasting impact on the audience because someone can better cope with their situation thanks to the themes present in a movie. Yes, In Your Dreams is also visually stunning but it is more than that. It is original, fun, and yes, I kind of want to live in the breakfast world even when everything ends up moldy.
With iconic actors like Cristin Milioti, Simu Liu, and Craig Robinson lending their voices to the film, original music, and so much more is why this is truly a must see for animation.
(featured image: Netflix)
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