Robot Dreams (2023)

Breathtaking adaptation that brings universality to themes of change, joy and melancholy through simple hand-drawn animation and evocative sound design. Praises the score and use of “September.”

The critic praises the film's achingly beautiful wordless story of love and loss between a lonely dog and his robot companion in 1980s New York. Visual storytelling, emotion, and imagination are highlighted as standout elements in this adaptation of the graphic novel.

The critic praises Pablo Berger’s touching silent animation for showing how swiftly a bond of affection can mark a life. They single out the surreal dream sequences and dynamic visual storytelling in the absence of dialogue.

A charming, melancholy animated fable that excels as both a robot movie and a New York movie, with simple yet evocative hand-drawn animation and themes of change and friendship.

An episodic tale of friendship deferred that captures the essence of New York with gentle animation and emotional depth. Praises the realistic yet surreal depiction of the city and character dynamics.

Delivers a brightly colored character study about a dog and a robot and what it means when a relationship ends. Positive on the bittersweet buddy comedy.

The critic calls it a wordless wonder with rich detail and unassuming emotional power. They single out the intricate animation and the film’s wise musing on the transience of connection and time.

The critic hails the silent ode to friendship as giant-hearted and delightful. They single out the gorgeous animation and roller-skating sequences set to Earth, Wind & Fire as highlights of the quirky, moving story.

The review describes the film as a heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking wordless animation about friendship and connection between a dog and a robot. It singles out the vibrant visual storytelling, physical comedy, and detailed recreation of 1980s New York for praise.

The critic finds the film often charming but patchy and opaque in its message about loss and friendship. Praises the use of music and sound design, particularly the dance sequences to “September.”

The critic calls it a lovely fable about partnership and imagination that uses animation in a uniquely lyrical way to explore relatable emotions of friendship, loss, and memory. The vibrant 1980s New York backdrop and creative visual gags are singled out for praise, though the runtime feels slightly stretched in places.

Berger’s exquisite, bittersweet, Oscar-nominated buddy movie about the bond between a dog and a robot matches Spike Jonze’s Her as one of cinema’s most devastating studies of loneliness. It is also one of the most persuasive love letters to 1980s New York, etched with affectionate period details.

The review hails the wordless animated film as a silent wonder that says everything about love through its portrayal of a dog and robot's friendship in 1980s Manhattan. Berger is praised for expanding the graphic novel source into a sprawling landscape of joy, heartbreak, and mixed emotions with simple yet soulful line drawings.

This wise and wondrous wordless animation explores the heartwarming friendship between a lonely dog and a robotic companion in 1980s New York, capturing the essence and limits of relationships better than any other recent film. Kids will be enchanted while grown-ups are existentially destroyed.

Pablo Berger’s largely silent film about a lonely dog in 1980s Manhattan who builds a robot best friend offers a wistful meditation on the transitoriness of relationships and a Proustian evocation of the era, though it may test the patience of children.

The critic finds it a sweetly sorrowful, dialogue-free buddy movie that pivots appealingly to animation and embraces a mature view of finite friendships and multiple soulmates. The whimsical 1980s New York setting, visual gags, and melancholy tone are highlighted, though the narrative repetition suggests it might suit a shorter format.

The critic calls the film one of the most delightful and loveliest movies of the year, animated or otherwise, praising its heartwarming take on friendship and loss. The hand-drawn 1980s New York setting and use of the song 'September' are singled out for their evocative detail and emotional resonance.

The critic praises the film's grounded portrayal of friendship and loss through expressive animation and no dialogue, highlighting its emotional depth and sublime ending alongside comparisons to films like The Iron Giant.

The critic describes the film as an inventive and bittersweet tale of love and loneliness centered on a dog's friendship with a mail-order robot in an 80s New York populated by anthropomorphic animals. They single out the vibrant cartoon art style and lively Earth, Wind & Fire-driven soundtrack for effectively conveying the joy of the central friendship before its tragic turn leaves the world quieter and sadder.

The critic calls it a well-told, funny and poignant tale that is more emotionally complex than it first appears, with strong visual humour and a mature, unexpected ending. They single out its modest yet effective storytelling and nostalgic New York setting.

The critic praises the film's exquisite, dialogue-free animation and its wistful portrayal of friendship and the passage of time in 1980s New York. They highlight the charming, relatable characters of Dog and Robot and its visual nods to the era.

The critic describes the dialogue-free film as stirring and delicate, praising its inventive subversion of robot narratives, radiant colors, and empathetic exploration of vulnerability and friendship in 1980s New York. They note its surprisingly mature ending and emotional depth.