Netflix’s In Your Dreams Shows Just How Much Beauty and Love Are In Life’s Messy Parts
Stevie and her little brother Elliot journey through dreams to find the Sandman and make their wish of a perfect family come true in Netflix’s animated film In Your Dreams. But as they soon discover, you have to be careful what you wish for.
With a background at Pixar and Lucasfilm, Kuku Studios founder and CEO Alex Woo proves he’s a creative to watch with his stunning feature film debut. Inspired by a haunting memory from Woo’s own childhood, Stevie is worried about her parent’s relationship and what their arguing means for her family. She believes everything would’ve stayed perfect if her messy, magic loving brother never came into the picture.
The voice cast alone is enough to pique interest with Craig Robinson, Cristin Milioti, and Simu Liu, as well as rising young talent Jolie Hoang-Rappaport and Elias Janssen. In a world where dreams come to life — from zombie breakfast to that dreaded teeth-falling-out nightmare — the characters are surprisingly grounded. Paired with larger-than-life visuals and unexpected revelations, the emotional beats make the film soar. Woo shows off a special talent for balancing moments of absurdity and sincerity while exploring all the dynamics of a family. The characters feel fully fleshed out and you really understand their wants, desires, and flaws. There is a sweet nostalgia that feels like a warm hug as Woo throws in nods to classic 80s pop culture, like Labyrinth and Back to the Future.
In Your Dreams is hilarious, heartfelt, and undeniably real. Everyone will see a bit of themselves in this story. A seemingly simple wish for a perfect family takes our characters on a wild and vibrant adventure that shows us just how much beauty and love are in life’s messy parts. Netflix already had a certified hit on its hands earlier this year with KPop Demon Hunters. Now, with In Your Dreams on their roster, it’s thrilling to see them continue to successfully champion original IP and diverse voices in the animated space. Netflix is setting the stage for a new era of original animated storytelling thanks to these exciting debuts.
Dive into the adventure of a nighttime with In Your Dreams now on Netflix.
