One of the great seemingly underrated traditions in western animation has been the Disney and Pixar short films of the last twenty to thirty years. Often these more than the features are where the real experimentation has happened -and several of them in style and even emotional weight far outpace the quality of their more popular longer cousins. The Little Matchgirl, Paperman, Sanjay’s Super Team, Bao, and Us Again I would rate among the best works either studio has produced in the last twenty years -and it’s a shame that such original shorts are no longer of interest to the Mouse. One thing that connects each of these films and indeed the majority of animated shorts it seems is the absence of dialogue -they are purely visual, musical expressions. And it’s perhaps for that reason especially that Robot Dreams, a Spanish animated feature based on the graphic novel by Sara Varon so reminds me of them.
But in addition to being dialogue free it is also in its way episodic -and each of the episodes feels a little like their own short film in that same tradition. Most importantly though the emotional centre, carved out of something incredibly simple, is there as well. This is a movie as touching and lovable as any of the best Disney and Pixar shorts, but with a look and feel that is all its own.
Though the story is set in 1980s Manhattan it was produced almost entirely by animation studios in Spain and written and directed by Spanish filmmaker Pablo Berger. And yet it is quite universal in its storytelling, themes, and the very fact of its muteness. In a world of anthropomorphic animals, lonely New Yorker Dog decides to order a robot friend off a TV advertisement. Once he builds Robot the two become inseparable, until an incident on the beach at the end of summer immobilizes Robot on the sand right as the beach closes for nearly a full year. Their stories diverge as Dog is forced to wait several months to rescue his friend, endeavouring to continue his life while Robot dreams in the sand.
The melancholy aspects to this narrative are not represented in the animation, which is vibrant and colourful with thick line-work and bubbly character designs not unlike what you might find on something like Cartoon Network. That of course is no sign that its serious themes aren’t communicated effectively -cute and boisterous animation as far back as Adventure Time had primed the pump for this particular kind of visual-thematic dichotomy. Even still, the stark maturity of this film comes as a surprise. Though rendered in plainly apparent easy-to-grasp terms, its themes on friendship, separation, loneliness, and letting go are each articulated with a grounded sobriety; though adorably spare, the film isn't afraid of a sombre or distressing beat, or to take the perhaps more meaningful road less travelled in its resolution. It is far more bittersweet in its storytelling than initially seems, with a potent emotional through-line and a sense of authentic gravity.
All while being delightfully charming, accessible, and fun. The 80s nostalgia plays its part unobtrusively, being simply an additional flavour to this world of anthropomorphic animals and cognizant machines that can be purchased through an infomercial. The greatest exception to this is the use of Earth, Wind, & Fire's "September", which Dog and Robot spontaneously dance to in the park and later becomes a motif of their relationship -the one thing Robot learns how to whistle. The world of the movie is very inventive -it's not one that is deeply thought through as to its layout and consistency (in addition to the "animal people" there are "animal animals"), but it's a very rich and diverse tapestry for the animation. Each minor animal makes for a curious visual choice and the different contexts lend a sense of versatility as well. We see Dog at Halloween, on a ski resort, flying a kite in a scene right out of Peanuts; while Robot’s dreams include a Wizard of Oz pastiche and an unsettling mirror of his more ordinary world.
Separately both characters go through a lot as they wait for their reunion. Dog’s experiences of trying to forge connections or distract his sadness are relatable; Robot’s spare encounters with others are less so -in fact they can be quite devastating. Yet among these he does learn a valuable lesson from a family of birds that nest on his body. Both characters come to be quite strongly defined along these paths impressively through purely visual means. Dog’s anxiety and Robot’s optimism in the face of setbacks each have such a heartfelt quality to them as well -it becomes clear the meaning of their friendship and how well they complimented each other. But in a way, there is a need for them to be apart as well. It’s this that I think puts the film a step above the ordinary kids cartoon about friendship.
This is solidified by the last act -the most fascinating portion of the movie where convention is thrown to the wind in a way I don’t think even those Disney shorts would dare attempt. It throws into question for the first time where the movie is directed, even what it is really about -and does so through some nifty visual ideas and drastic imagery alike. One of Robot’s nightmares even comes true …but it’s no so bad actually. While an actual dream, for some time Robot’s most desperate one, is seen to be wrong under changed circumstances. The conclusion to Dog and Robot’s story may not offer exactly the anticipated catharsis, it may not be what they both ardently envisioned for most of the movie, but it is a good ending for each of them nonetheless; and demonstrates on a macro level a trust in the audience to accept a tough but heartfelt emotional honesty.
Robot Dreams is a fantastic little film; a bittersweet thoughtful movie of friendship that says a lot with no words and looks quite delightful. I assumed this was one of those graphic novel adaptations that translates its art style very literally, but it actually isn’t a direct visual analogue -to which I must applaud Berger’s own attractive aesthetic. It certainly makes parts of this story go down easier, and yet represents perfectly too its infectiously endearing qualities. A modest opiate for the lonely soul.
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