‘Robot Dreams'
Review : Pablo Berger's
Android Buddy
Film
"Robot Dreams" is a whimsical 1980s New York fantasy by Pablo Berger with anthropomorphic animals and sensitive automatons.
The film, based on Sara Varon's graphic novel, uses pastel 2D animation in a wordless, visually expressive style.
Nostalgia for Reagan-era New York is evident in the film's aesthetic, featuring roller discos and boomboxes.
Berger's departure from dialogue-driven storytelling is marked, contrasting with his previous work like "Blancanieves."
The protagonist, Dog, finds companionship with a responsive robot after ordering a build-your-own-robot kit.
Themes of love and companionship are explored, hinting at a degree of queer connection between Dog and the robot.
Challenges arise when the robot becomes immobile, leading to a poignant separation between Dog and his mechanical companion.
The film embraces a mature philosophy, suggesting there can be multiple soulmates in one's life, and finite relationships aren't necessarily failures.