‘In Your Dreams’ (2025) Netflix Movie Review - A Heartfelt Leap into the Subconscious

From the very first frame of In Your Dreams, I found myself genuinely drawn in by the idea: two children, uneasy at home, who literally enter the terrain of their own dreams to try and fix something broken in the waking world. Director Alex Woo, co-writing with Erik Benson, doesn’t shy away from the emotional centre of the story — the pain of a family in flux, the burden on a sibling who feels increasingly responsible, and how imagination can serve both as escape and reckoning. The premise is simple but rich: Stevie (voiced by Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and her younger brother Elliot (Elias Janssen) discover a book that says the mythical Sandman can turn dreams into reality, and so they embark on an adventure through dreamscapes to save their parents (voiced by Simu Liu and Cristin Milioti).

One of the strongest things about the film is how it treats the sibling bond. Stevie is older, burdened, trying to keep things together; Elliot is younger, freer, less conscientious but also brimming with honest fear. Watching them argue, then collaborate, then lean on each other as the dream world grows more surreal, gives the film a real emotional backbone. And the voice work matches it: Hoang-Rappaport brings that mix of frustration and protectiveness; Janssen carries a genuine sense of awe and insecurity. The parents are depicted with flaws— not perfect, and the dream mission isn’t about making everything magically right but about accepting what’s real and what’s possible. That nuance elevates the story above a typical “kids go on a fantasy quest” tale.

Visually and tonally, the movie does a lot of things well. The transitions between the real world and the dream world are crisp, the design of the dream realm inventive while familiar enough to feel comfortable, and the score by John Debney supports the mood without pushing it too hard. The direction shows a confident hand: even though the plot uses many standard tropes—siblings entering a dreamscape, a big-bad antagonist shaped by nightmares, quests, and obstacles—the film remains engaging due to the character stakes and the pacing, which rarely drags. The family theme is handled frankly: children worrying about their parents splitting, and the idea of “perfect family” being challenged rather than idealised. That emotional honesty gives the film real heart.

I also appreciated the lighter elements: the stuffed giraffe sidekick (voiced by Craig Robinson) brings humor, the dream-world rules are playfully odd, and the revelation that even nightmares have purpose is a nice touch. The film tries to balance fun and meaningful reflection: when the dream sequences get weird—zombie breakfast foods, strange landscapes, shifting rules—the tone stays accessible for kids, but doesn’t shy away from slightly darker imagery. The story acknowledges that fear and uncertainty are part of growing up, and that makes it surprisingly thoughtful for a family animation.

That said, the film isn't flawless. While its emotional core is solid, some parts feel overly familiar or derivative. There are moments when I find myself thinking “Yes, I’ve seen this before” — kids entering another world to fix the family, talking stuffed-animal sidekick, dream-realm logic that bends when convenient. The ambition is there, but the novelty sometimes falls short. In particular, the villain or major obstacle—the queen of nightmares—feels thinly defined. I wanted more complexity or originality in the antagonist’s motivation, rather than simply being “bad because of a nightmare.” The film would have benefited from pushing that envelope a little further.

Also, the runtime feels slightly tight given the story’s ambitions: at under 90 minutes, some beats appear a bit rushed. Some characters, especially supporting ones, receive little development and vanish before we get to know them well. For example, early introductions of quirky dream creatures or allies in the dream world promise potential, but the payoff is limited. It’s not a major distraction, but at times the film trades depth for pace. Despite the visual energy, the emotional payoff doesn’t always land with the power one might expect.

On the technical side, the animation and design are solid but not groundbreaking. The visual style is polished and attractive, yet there are moments when it leans too heavily on established tropes of animated adventure rather than pushing new artistic limits. The humor is uneven: the sidekick giraffe is funny in moments, but some jokes land less well than others, particularly in the middle sections when tone shifts from whimsical to slightly perilous. For younger viewers, those shifts may be fine; for older ones, they might feel less cohesive. Another minor quibble: the dream-world logic, while imaginative, sometimes shortcuts rules for convenience, which weakens the sense of stakes in key scenes.

But putting those issues aside, the film succeeds in what it sets out to do: it delivers a warm, family-friendly animated adventure with enough emotional weight to engage older viewers and enough whimsy to keep kids entertained. The theme of “imperfect families can still be good families” is handled with sincerity rather than sentimentality. It’s refreshing to see a sibling adventure (rather than the usual parent-child focus) and to see younger characters take the lead in defining their world. The voice cast elevates the material, the production values are strong for a streaming release, and the balance between fun and heart is mostly effective.

In short, while In Your Dreams doesn’t reinvent the animated adventure genre, it offers a reassuringly good ride—one that makes you root for children facing messy life changes, acknowledges that growing up means accepting scary things as part of the process, and shows that moving forward can happen even when everything isn’t perfect. I’d recommend it for a family movie night when you want something colorful, heartfelt, and thought-provoking enough to spark conversation. If you’re looking for a cinematic landmark or radical visual innovation, you might find it a little safe or familiar. But if you just want a thoughtful, well-crafted animated story that delivers smiles and a few genuine moments of reflection, this one hits more often than it misses. I came away feeling pleased, entertained, and gently moved — and in today’s streaming age, that’s a small but satisfying dream come true.

Final Score- [6/10]
Reviewed by - Anjali Sharma
Follow @AnjaliS54769166 on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times