Review: ‘The Imaginary Friend’ Uses VR to teach kids and families about grief and loss

Virtual Reality film offerings have come a long way since Lawnmower Man in 1992. Movies like The Imaginary Friend now use virtual reality tech to immerse the viewer into the world of the story. Directors now use the medium to not only tell innovative stories but to also educate and relate to specific audiences.

That’s what The Imaginary Friend is, a cinematic tale that can teach kids and their families about grief and loss. The film uses interactive elements and sometimes haunting graphics to draw viewers into the world of Daniel, a boy grieving the loss of his mother. The entire film is about helping Daniel.

The catch is that the viewer is his imaginary friend.

The film has several heartbreaking moments as the boy’s story unfolds. Having lost his mother in a tragic accident, Daniel is terrified of “death-eater” monsters. The boy believes that the monsters are coming for him. His imaginary friend helps kill those monsters.

Daniel is also having problems socializing. He’s being ridiculed by his friends. The teachers are calling home. His father has no idea what to do. A last-ditch effort to save the boy may mean the end of his relationship with the imaginary friend.

The film requires microphone access and interaction from the viewer in every scene. At some points, the viewer is fighting death eaters with Daniel at others they are flying around entertaining the kid. There is a lot of arm flapping to get the wings to work. You also have to speak loudly at times to match the boy’s enthusiasm.

The tale is of great importance especially for kids who are grieving, or for caregivers looking to help kids through the grieving process. The boy must overcome his fears and doing so creates a relatable story with educational potential.

There are a few scenes that may make viewers leak tears into their VR headsets. The entire film is a trigger warning for those actively grieving, as well. The immersive quality of the film may have a powerful effect on those viewers who are triggered by grief, loss, and depression.

The Imaginary Friend also gets points for depicting black boyhood and loss as well as Black fathers in a sole caregiver role. It’s films like these that normalize mental health struggles and care for Black boys and fathers, while also making even more strides to break the stereotypes of Black people in film.

The Imaginary Friend is a Studio Biarritz production. It’s from award-winning VR director Steve Hallema, producer Corine Meijers (“Symbiosis, “Ik ben een bastaard,” and “Floating with Spirits”), and lead designer Koen Koopman.

Find more information on The Imaginary Friend at StudioBiarritz.nl or ImaginaryFriend.nl