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Can you believe that the renowned writer Charlie Kaufman, known for his works Being John Malkovich and Synecdoche, New York, has written a mainstream children’s movie? It’s definitely worth checking out, if only to see how much of his personal adult anxieties have influenced the story. For this DreamWorks/Netflix collaboration, Kaufman has adapted a book by Falmouth-based British author Emma Yarlett, and first-time director Sean Charmatz, who has primarily worked on storyboarding for films like SpongeBob SquarePants and The Lego Movie 2, is making his debut.
This is a story about a young boy named Orion (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) who is constantly filled with fear. He is anxious about things like raising his hand in class, getting bullied, having a messy bathroom experience, and talking to the girl he secretly likes. His biggest fear, however, is the dark. One night, the Dark himself (voiced by Paul Walter Hauser) unexpectedly appears in Orion’s room. He is a large, hooded figure with a grumpy demeanor. The Dark takes Orion on a magical journey through dark landscapes to show him that it’s not as scary as he thinks. Along the way, they meet five personified Pixar characters such as Insomnia (Nat Faxon), who keeps people awake with intrusive thoughts, and Unexplained Noises (Golda Rosheuvel), who startles them with sudden banging and thumping. On the other hand, there are also Quiet (Aparna Nancherla), Sweet Dreams (Angela Bassett), and Sleep (Natasia Demetriou), who are dedicated to helping people fall asleep.
This is a charming and endearing story that draws inspiration from Monsters Inc and other works by Pixar. However, it manages to avoid being too cliché by incorporating elements from films like Back to the Future and Inception, as well as using multiple layers of storytelling. Is the writer, Kaufman, truly invested in this project? At times, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was hearing his somber inner monologue about the compromises he has to make for a paycheck in today’s industry. But perhaps he has a softer side than we give him credit for.
Source: theguardian.com
