Pobby & Dingan are invisible. They live in an opal town in Australia and are friends with Kellyanne, the 9 year-old daughter of an opal miner. The film tells the story of the bizarre and inexplicable disappearance of Pobby & Dingan, Kellyanne's imaginary friends, and the impact this has on her family and the whole town. The story is told through the eyes of Kellyanne's 11 years old brother Ashmol.
Sophisticated cine philes aren't likely to go ga-ga over this one, but Opal Dream is a worthwhile family film, graced with an ambivalent, bittersweet ending and just the right touch of cinematic poetry turning on the gemstone in its title.
– Sid Smith,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan 2007
fresh:
With its lessons of faith, family loyalty and the power of the imagination, this is one of the rare non-animated films parents can take their children to see.
– Teresa Budasi,
Chicago Sun-Times,
19 Jan 2007
rotten:
Although Opal Dream marks a pleasing departure from the conventions of the British comedy -- it's based on a children's book and set in the Australian outback -- it's disappointingly small in scope.
– Desson Thomson,
Washington Post,
1 Feb 2007
rotten:
The film squeezes out its feel-good messages like toothpaste from a tube.
– Ty Burr,
Boston Globe,
2 Feb 2007
fresh:
Opal Dream might be one of those movies that has to catch a viewer in the right mood, or be greeted with scorn.