Beyond Expectations
“In Your Dreams Delivers Creative Visuals, Heartfelt & Balance Storytelling, and Unique Family Dream Logic.”
By: C. Wayne Hughes, II | In Conversation: Cristin Milioti
“In ‘In Your Dreams’ (2025), Cristin Milioti shines with her expected talent in a visually imaginative family adventure about two siblings fighting to save their parents’ marriage. However, while the film successfully balances its lighthearted and serious tones, it disappoints by significantly underutilizing Milioti’s Grammy-winning vocal skills and failing to fully commit to its promised rock soundtrack, leaving fans of her musical work wanting more.”
1. General Critical Consensus & Background
“In Your Dreams” is a 2025 animated adventure comedy from Netflix about two siblings who journey into their dream world to find the Sandman and ask him to grant them their ultimate wish: the perfect family.
The film has received mixed to positive reviews, with critics praising its imaginative visuals, heartfelt family dynamic, and the standout voice performance of Craig Robinson (Baloney Tony). Common criticisms include the plot feeling derivative of films like Inside Out and having a somewhat simplistic ending.
However, I appreciated the way the movie balanced seriousness with humor, as that helped balance the storyline for me.
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Key Cast: Cristin Milioti (Mom), Jolie Hoang-Rappaport (Stevie), Elias Janssen (Elliot), Craig Robinson (Baloney Tony), and Simu Liu (Dad).
Thematically, critics noted the film’s thoughtful, mature portrayal of parents dealing with marital tension and the anxiety that causes their children.
2. Personal Review and Fan Reaction
Overall, “In Your Dreams” was an enjoyable watch. While much of the movie aligned with typical tropes, the unique concept of the entire family sharing a single dream sequence was really noteworthy, adding a layer of creativity and imaginative visuals to the film.
Grammy & Emmy Winner, Cristin Milioti’s performance, as expected from such a talent, was excellent. However, as a fan of her vocal skills, I was anticipating a more collaborative duet-style performance with the dad character (Simu Liu) on the original song, “The Holding On and the Letting Go.” Although the song is getting buzz, it felt more like her harmonizing and backing him up, which was a disappointment for a fan hoping to hear her voice fully showcased, perhaps along the lines of a true duet like “Islands in the Stream” or “Endless Love.”
The scene of the sister sneezing and then eating the mucus was quite disgusting, but the heartfelt moment of the sister realizing her love for her brother at the end, especially with the significance of the doll he gave her as a younger child, was very moving.
Also, the use of the music felt uneven. Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” (covered by Weezer) felt less prominent than expected, compared to the more extended use of the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams,” which became an auditory signature for the film. While “Sweet Dreams” was enjoyable, it would have been nice to see a more even distribution of the two songs in the film.
3. Overall Combined Verdict
The movie is a sweet, entertaining family adventure with strong emotional grounding and creative visuals, though it doesn’t fully capitalize on the vocal talents of Milioti.
Final Combined Rating: 8 / 10
