‘In Your Dreams’ Director Alex Woo on His ‘Anti-Fairy Tale’ Film

Director Alex Woo, who honed his craft on Pixar hits like “Ratatouille” and “WALL·E,” is directing a new animated “anti-fairy tale.” “In Your Dreams,” opening in theaters Friday, is an adventure-comedy that tackles the reality of family conflict. Woo’s pitch was so unique it “fascinated” actor Simu Liu.
Woo’s concept was to show a “real family that argues.” Liu, who voices the father, immediately connected with this. The Marvel star has been vocal that the “always happy” family trope is “not true” and that “it’s important” for kids to see “imperfect” families. Woo’s film is the antidote to the “fairy tale” gloss.
The plot follows the children of this imperfect family, Stevie (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) and Elliot (Elias Janssen). They journey to find The Sandman, believing he can magically save their parents’ (Liu and Cristin Milioti) marriage. This quest, animated by Sony Pictures Imageworks, is filled with adventure, humor (from Craig Robinson’s Baloney Tony), and heart.
A key moment in Woo’s film is a duet between the “strained couple.” Cristin Milioti, a Grammy winner, called the song “really great” and a “beautiful moment” that shows the pair in harmony.
Ultimately, Woo’s film is about maturation. The young protagonist, Stevie, must learn that “there is no magic solution to real-life problems.” Her journey, as described by Hoang-Rappaport, is about realizing she can’t “fix” her family with a dream. Woo has crafted a film that is both fantastical and deeply real.