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Opal Dream

Play trailer Poster for Opal Dream PG 2006 1h 25m Kids & Family Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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69% Tomatometer 35 Reviews 64% Popcornmeter 1,000+ Ratings
Australians Rex Williamson and his family struggle to make ends meet in an opal-mining community in the Outback. Daughter Kellyanne passes the time with her two imaginary friends, Pobby and Dingan. When the rest of the family grow tired of her obsession with her nonexistent buddies, Rex tells his daughter that Pobby and Dingan are lost in the mine. Bad times lie ahead for the family when Kellyanne reacts badly to the news.
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Opal Dream

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Critics Consensus

Earnest performances and Peter Cattaneo's sympathetic direction gives heart to the simple, timeworn script.

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Critics Reviews

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Tom Keogh Seattle Times 02/16/2007
2.5/4
Opal Dream might be one of those movies that has to catch a viewer in the right mood, or be greeted with scorn. Go to Full Review Ty Burr Boston Globe 02/02/2007
2/4
The film squeezes out its feel-good messages like toothpaste from a tube. Go to Full Review Desson Thomson Washington Post 02/01/2007
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. Go to Full Review Debbie Lynn Elias Behind The Lens 11/07/2019
Saccharine sweet to the core, the heartfelt story and faith in the power of imagination and love will sparkle like an opal glistening in the Outback sun long after the curtain falls. Go to Full Review Brian Costello Common Sense Media 07/25/2012
3/5
Unusual Australian drama has a few moments of violence. Go to Full Review David Cornelius DVDTalk.com 04/20/2007
2.5/5
What opens as a delightful kid-friendly drama closes as a stumbly, manipulative yawner. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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07/19/2018 I read the script for this years ago and loved it. I have no idea why they felt the need to give it that crap name. I wanted this to be as heart wrenching as the script was. It's not often movies live up to the script or novel and sadly this one doesn't either. Not bad. But not as good as it should have been. See more 08/02/2017 I thought it was good but a bit confusing . It is a bit sad if it was less confusing it would be good. Lily age 10 See more 06/28/2016 A hauntingly beautiful Australian film about the power of belief, and of the love between siblings. Rex Williamson (Vince Colosimo) is an opal miner prospecting in the outback town of Cooper Pedy. When his daughter Kellyanne's (Sapphire Boyce) imaginary friends go missing after a visit to the family's mine claim, he searches for them, and gets accused of attempted theft from a neighbouring claim in the process. Faced with his father being charged with attempting to steal from someone else's claim, and the family being shunned by the community as a result, as well as his young sister becoming ill through grief for her imaginary friends, Rex's son Ashmol (Christian Byers) sets out to put things right. This review really doesn't do justice to this heart warming and unusual tale. This is an Australian co-production with the BBC, so watch out for some familiar faces in atypical roles. See more 04/04/2016 Rating: 38% Opal Dream boasts some thought, but the overly cliched script and unlikable characters just ruins the whole experience from beginning to end. See more 01/25/2015 A heart-felt movie, That will never forgot it. Make sure you see the uncut version the cut one is flat. See more 10/13/2012 HATED IT. Saw it a few years back and thought it was just horrible and stupid. One of the worst I've ever seen See more Read all reviews
Opal Dream

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Cast & Crew

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Peter Cattaneo

Director

Vince Colosimo

Rex Williamson

Jacqueline McKenzie

Annie Williamson

Christian Byers

Ashmol Williamson

Sapphire Blossom

Kellyanne Williamson

Peter Callan

Dan Dunkley

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Opal Dream

Opal Dream (2005) Opal Dream (2005) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Australians Rex Williamson and his family struggle to make ends meet in an opal-mining community in the Outback. Daughter Kellyanne passes the time with her two imaginary friends, Pobby and Dingan. When the rest of the family grow tired of her obsession with her nonexistent buddies, Rex tells his daughter that Pobby and Dingan are lost in the mine. Bad times lie ahead for the family when Kellyanne reacts badly to the news.
Director
Peter Cattaneo
Producer
Lizie Gower, Nick Morris, Emile Sherman
Screenwriter
Peter Cattaneo, Ben Rice, Phil Traill
Distributor
Strand Releasing
Production Co
BBC, UK Film Council, South Australian Film Corporation
Rating
PG (Some Violence|Mild Thematic Elements|Language)
Genre
Kids & Family, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 22, 2006, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 16, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$13.8K
Runtime
1h 25m