Alex Woo’s In Your Dreams sends siblings Stevie and Elliot hurtling through surreal dreamscapes toward a wish only the Sandman can grant.

Forget the picture-perfect family—perfectionist 12-year-old Stevie (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and her 8-year-old brother Elliot (Elias Janssen), an aspiring magician, can barely get through a day without sparring. But when the feuding siblings are swept into the realm of dreams, they must team up on a quest to find the Sandman (Omid Djalili), the only one who can grant their biggest wish. As they navigate the absurd corners of their own subconscious, this unlikely duo discovers that with each other by their side, even their worst nightmare is no match for them.

Their parents, Michael (Simu Liu) and Jennifer Ting (Cristin Milioti), once had an indie folk band called The Hypsonics. Their first album went gold, but like all things, life had other plans just as they were about to go on tour. These days, Michael is the only band member left, still chasing the success he briefly tasted—five albums later, he’s never quite reached those same heights. Jennifer teaches music at a community college but dreams of one day working at a larger university. That’s where the Tings are when we meet them at the start of In Your Dreams.

Accompanying Stevie and Elliot along the ride is Elliot’s long-lost stuffed giraffe, Baloney Tony (Craig Robinson). Unfortunately for the siblings, Baloney Tony would rather run and hide than face any fears. There’s a universe where Baloney Tony could become a fan favorite, but it’s hard to imagine any universe where In Your Dreams continues. A mid-credit scene teases the possibility of someone else finding the magical book, but Baloney Tony feels uniquely tied to Stevie and Elliot’s story—so it’s tough to picture him turning up in a spin-off.

Even though a good chunk of In Your Dreams takes place in the surreal world of dreamscapes, the film remains emotionally grounded. Filmmaker Alex Woo previously worked at Pixar before co-founding Kuku Studios. Making a film about dreams was one of the earliest ideas discussed, and it’s safe to say the results have paid off. Woo draws from his own lived experience growing up in Minnesota, where the film is set. His parents’ marriage could have ended in divorce, but instead they’ve now been married for nearly 50 years.

Tackling dreamscapes may be better suited for animation than live action, depending on the story. In the case of In Your Dreams, I don’t think they could have pulled off what they do here—at least not without a massive budget. Right off the bat, the film features a talking stuffed giraffe and a bed that doubles as a rocket ship. There’s simply no way live action could capture the same charm or magic, not without struggling to break even at the box office.

Watching In Your Dreams also made me think about what I would do if I came across the mysterious book, The Legend of the Sandman, which sets the plot in motion. Growing up transgender meant having countless dreams—dating back to elementary school—in which I was a girl. Sometimes I’d relive an entire day in my dreams as myself. I didn’t have the education or awareness in the 1990s to understand what was really going on. If I could have made those dreams a reality, I absolutely would have. But at the same time, magic always comes with a price.

It’s this price that weighs heavily on Stevie during the film’s climactic third act. Can she live in a world where her parents are happy all the time, or will she come to regret it? The fact that the film doesn’t ignore this question shows how grounded it is in emotional realism.

I appreciate that Netflix has gotten into the animation game in recent years. Sure, some films have been acquisitions—such as The Mitchells vs. the Machines—but they’re also putting out quality animated fare of their own. While animated films generally perform better at the box office, it’s nice to see more distributors getting involved. Back in the day, the Oscar for Best Animated Feature was jokingly referred to as the Disney Oscar. Over two decades later, there’s clearly more skin in the game than just Disney/Pixar and DreamWorks Animation.

In Your Dreams blends surreal animation with emotional honesty, delivering a heartfelt family adventure that shows Netflix’s growing strength in the animation space.

DIRECTOR: Alex Woo
CO-DIRECTOR: Erik Benson
SCREENWRITERS: Erik Benson and Alex Woo
CAST: Jolie Hoang-Rappaport, Elias Janssen, Craig Robinson, Simu Liu, Cristin Milioti, Omid Djalili, Gia Carides

Netflix released In Your Dreams in theaters on November 7, 2025 and streaming on November 14, 2025. Grade: 3.5/5

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