Robot Dreams

Scott Hardie: “It ruled.”

After The Iron Giant and The Wild Robot, I feel like I need to clarify that I'm not deliberately seeing out movies in which robots make friends with non-robots. And after Flow and Hundreds of Beavers, I'm not seeking out dialogue-free movies, either. Maybe there's just something in the air right now?

I really appreciated this cleverly-told story about a lonely dog and a friendly robot finding each other. It's heartfelt, gentle, nuanced, surprisingly moving, and well-animated. The mid-80s NYC setting, give or take an anachronism that you can spot in the background now and then, gives the film a unique vibe and a big basket of sight gags to play with. It's not at all the happy, lively movie promised by the lying trailer, but more of a bittersweet drama about learning to cope with sadness, if you're in the mood for a well-made movie on that wavelength.

− December 30, 2024 • more by Scott • log in or register to reply