Jolie Hoang-Rappaport does more than capable voice work as Stevie in Netflix’ new film In Your Dreams. Stevie is an older sister to Elliot (Elias Janssen), and she has to help him find a ‘real’ book to report for school. An aspiring magician, he steals a magic book with a spell with huge inadvertent consequences. Namely, that they share each other’s dreams which can change the real world.

Stevie has serious plans in the dream world, as she discovers that she can meet the Sandman. Omid Djalili plays the legendary figure who can, as per the myth, make dreams like hers come true. She discovers that her Mom (Cristin Miloti) gets a professor job in Duluth. This means that her Mom and Dad (Simu Liu) may get divorced and Stevie wants them together.

In Your Dreams comes from Alex Woo, a Pixar alum. This is not a knock of course, as he’s working within a sub genre with story lines like “a squad on quests”. A good thing about this film is that it easily sells a dream world with flying beds and toys that can talk. A talking stuffed giraffe, Baloney Tony (Craig Robinson), is more believable than a bike friendly city.

Anyway, films or texts depicting characters embarking on quests positively affect characters. In Your Dreams is no exception, even if it doesn’t necessarily break the wheel or reinvent the genre. If anything though, both Stevie and Elliot are evolving within the dreams and in the waking world. Without giving away anything, the film starts with Stevie being more mature but that can change.

Regardless of the changes within In Your Dreams’ characters, at least their foundations are great. Stevie is a great character, reflecting the kind of troubles that young people have been facing forever. Half of children for generations watch their parents have arguments because one wants to move cities. As a child of divorce I feel for her like I would have if my parents stayed together – she’s innately relatable.

In Your Dreams believably depicts Stevie’s reaction to a divorce scare with both maturity and stubbornness. It’s the right combination of both qualities, which complements Elliot’s energy, a mix of elastic mania. If anything, Elliot’s energy matches the other qualities of the characters within the film’s dream world. Baloney Tony and Elliot’s wavelengths feel more similar to each other but Stevie can counter both.

Speaking of Baloney Tony and Elliot’s chemistry, their reunion scene earns In Your Dreams’ PG rating. That is just one of many scenes that can make adult audiences wonder if this film is kid appropriate. But let’s be real, those are the kinds of animation films are are awesome – one serving multiple demos. Another scene here has Elliot changing a hot dog’s biology, which counterbalances the divorce stuff.

In Your Dreams comes to both theatres and Netflix.