
Opal Dream
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Unusual Australian drama has a few moments of violence.

A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Opal Dream
Community Reviews
Based on 1 parent review
Violent, scary, sad and disheartening story.
What's the Story?
Rex Williamson has moved his family to a small town in the Australian Outback in the hopes of striking it rich in an opal mine. Rex's daughter Kellyanne is a fervent believer in the existence of two imaginary friends -- Pobby and Dingan. The family always leaves two extra plates at the dinner table for them, and can't help but indulge their daughter's rich fantasy life. When Rex "takes" Pobby and Dingan to work and "forgets" to bring them back, Kellyanne insists on going back to the mines to find them. When they do, it is dark, and the owner of the mines confronts Rex and accuses him of being a "ratter," or a poacher of other men's mines. The Williamson family ends up being ostracized by almost everyone in the town. While Rex tries to prove his innocence, Kellyanne becomes sick as she believes that Pobby and Dingan have died. It is up to her skeptical brother Ash to find a way to believe his sister's stories and convince his family and town to believe, too.
Is It Any Good?
In spite of the stretching required to convey the theme of the film, Opal Dream delivers an inspiring, if uneven, story of faith beyond what most of us see. In much the way viewers might wonder why teenagers in horror films open the basement doors of haunted houses, it's easy at first to feel frustrated with the decisions the parents make in OPAL DREAM and the ridiculous lengths they go to indulge their 9-year-old daughter's belief in imaginary friends. They leave extra plates at the dinner table, they buckle the empty backseats of their vehicles, and they incur the wrath of the entire town after being caught at night trespassing on mine land.
The acting -- Christian Byers as the boy Ashmun in particular -- is well done, and the viewer gets a vivid glimpse of life in an Australian Outback mining town. While the ending requires a great leap of faith on the part of the viewer, it's obvious that the makers of Opal Dream have their heart in the right place, and have a deeper message they want to share with the world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the violence in the movie. Did it seem appropriate to the story? Would the movie have been as powerful without it?
Was the family's response to Kellyanne's active imagination sensible and appropriate? Why or why not?
How does Ash change over the course of the movie? What do you think his character is meant to portray?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: April 3, 2007
- Cast: Christian Byers , Sapphire Boyce , Vince Colosimo
- Director: Peter Cattaneo
- Studio: Strand Releasing
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Brothers and Sisters
- Run time: 85 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG
- MPAA explanation: mild thematic elements, language, and some violence
- Last updated: October 8, 2022
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Watch
Our Editors Recommend
Best International Films for Kids
Coming-of-Age Movies
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate