In Your Dreams

The family home is tense as Stevie's perfectionism clashes with the chaotic energy of Elliot. Parents argue about their future: Mom wants to move to Duluth for a stable teaching job, while Dad wants to stay and chase his rock musician dream. Stevie fears losing the life she knows and tries to control it all.

The siblings find a mysterious book that promises a wish if they can find the Sandman in the dream world. They perform a ritual and drift into sleep, entering a whole new realm together. The journey begins with a promise of magic, but the morning after proves to be anything but ordinary.

In the dream world, Stevie and Elliot discover they can shape parts of the dream as long as they hold hands and concentrate. They are joined by Baloney Tony, Elliot's living stuffed giraffe, who adds humor and guidance to their journey. They realize their thoughts can sculpt the surreal landscapes around them.

Their quest leads them through a town where food is alive and quirks turn dangerous. Teeth fall out in a nightmare whimsy; awkward pop quizzes haunt the streets. The landscape tests their resolve as they press forward toward the Sandman.

Nightmara, the Nightmare Queen, pursues the siblings through the dream world, trying to wake them and sever the dream bond. The hunt places constant pressure on them as they navigate shifting landscapes. The stakes grow as the Sandman’s trap looms closer.

The duo reaches the Sandman's fortress, believing their problems are solved. Inside, the Sandman reveals his true intent to trap dreamers in permanent, perfect fantasies. The castle becomes a stage for a chilling choice between a flawless life and the messy reality.

The Sandman tempts Stevie with a simulated life where her parents are happy and Elliot never existed. She slips into the dream, leaving her physical body comatose in the real world. The dream promises serenity, but the price is the loss of her authentic family.

Nightmara reveals herself as a mentor who aims to wake kids rather than frighten them into growth. Elliot begins to understand that waking up is part of maturing and fixing real problems. The dynamic shifts as guidance replaces terror.

Elliot breaches Stevie's fantasy to bring her back to reality. He fights through the illusion and demonstrates that his sister's likeness matters, even if their world isn't perfect. Stevie sees that a 'perfect' life without her brother is hollow.

Stevie recognizes that the dream's perfection cannot replace real relationships. She shuns the Sandman’s paradise and chooses the imperfect but genuine family they share. The bond with Elliot becomes the anchor that pulls them toward waking.

Using their lucid dreaming powers, Stevie and Elliot work together to break the Sandman's hold and escape back to the waking world. Nightmara's guidance helps them coordinate the final move as the dream collapses around them. They awaken to the real world with a new sense of purpose and resilience.

The family returns to reality with a plan: Mom takes the Duluth job, and Dad agrees to start a new band there, signaling compromise and forward motion. Stevie learns to embrace chaos and imperfection, realizing that love matters more than control. The family moves forward together, stronger for having faced the dream world and its truths.