“In Your Dreams,” a new adventure-comedy opening Friday, is being praised as a “funny, honest” look at “imperfect” families. The film, from director Alex Woo, features a high-profile cast including Simu Liu, Cristin Milioti, and Craig Robinson.
The film’s honesty comes from its central premise. It follows two children, Stevie (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and Elliot (Elias Janssen), as they try to magically save their parents’ failing marriage. This realistic conflict is what attracted Simu Liu.
Liu, who voices the father, was “fascinated” by the chance to show a “real family that argues.” He has been critical of the “always happy” family trope, calling it “not true” and “not important” for kids to see.
The film, animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks, balances its drama with humor, supplied by Craig Robinson as Baloney Tony, a stuffed animal. It also has moments of beauty, like a “really great” duet between Liu and Milioti, which the Emmy-winning actress called a “beautiful moment.”
The film’s core message is one of acceptance. Stevie, the young protagonist, must learn that “there is no magic solution to real-life problems.” “In Your Dreams” is a refreshing, modern take on the family film.