It is the year of imaginary friends in the movies and Studio Ponoc’s animated feature The Imaginary is by far the best.
Based on the novel by A.F. Harrold and directed by Yoshiyuki Momose, The Imaginary is the story of Rudger (Louie Rudge-Buchanan), brought to life through the vivid imaginings of Amanda (Evie Kiszel), a young girl living with her mother above their struggling bookstore. Rudger’s days are full of joy and endless adventures with Amanda, until he suddenly finds himself separated from her and in danger of being forgotten. He enters the town of the Imaginaries, discovering an entire world of creations just like himself. But, of course, there is a lurking danger that targets and threatens them.
Image from THE IMAGINARY — Courtesy of Netflix
From playful childhood joy to deep and lingering grief, The Imaginary uses familiar images and ideas to convey an accessible and entertaining tale. The concept of imaginary friends isn’t new, but their existence in film has greatly expanded since the world met (and collectively sobbed for) the jolly pink elephant Bing Bong in Pixar’s Inside Out (2015). Where we spent quite a lot of time with Bing Bong inside Riley’s mind, The Imaginary goes further into the idea by turning Rudger into a fully realized personality separate from Amanda. We experience the things that make him laugh and cry, and especially the things that scare him.
Bringing the audience into Rudger’s point of view deepens our connection to him and gives him life and purpose. We see him sad, lonely, afraid, and eventually hopeful. Taking this journey with him, Rudger never feels imaginary. He is always connected to Amanda, but once pulled away from her, he befriends others and gets to see the wider world. A library becomes the literal gateway to travels and new adventures.
And that wider world is a fun and inventive place to explore. Brought to life through gorgeous hand-drawn animation, The Imaginary uses new techniques of lighting and shading to craft stunning images. This is Studio Ponoc’s second feature film, and they have grown quite a bit since 2017’s Mary and the Witch’s Flower. Founded in 2015 by former Studio Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura, the fledgling animation house shows a lot of promise with this adaptation.
There are some more grown up ideas that will probably pass over young kids. Amanda’s mom Lizzie (Hayley Atwell) deals with her own grief, pain, and shifting dreams. Rudger’s new friend Emily (Sky Katz) serves as a wise mentor with her own personal trauma. Together, she and Rudger must face a villain (voiced by Jeremy Swift) that will possibly be quite scary for very little kids.
The Imaginary avoids being overly complicated and serves as a good entry point for talking with children about challenging topics like grief, loss, and loneliness. At a time where so many seek to devalue the importance of art and creativity, The Imaginary celebrates them as essential to our existence. It’s a lovely, family-friendly film that champions imagination.