Lost Ollie is a limited TV series directed by Peter Ramsey and created by Shannon Tindle and stars Jonathan Groff, Mary J. Blige, Tim Blake Nelson, Gina Rodriguez, Jake Johnson and Kesler Talbot, alongside other cast members. The series consists of 4 episodes, each with a runtime of around 45-50 minutes, and is inspired by the book Ollie’s Odyssey by William Joyce.
Netflix describes the series as:
A patchwork rabbit with floppy ears and fuzzy memories embarks on an epic quest to find his best friend — the young boy he desperately loves.
– Lost Ollie Review Does Not Contain Spoilers –
Lost Ollie starts in the most serious tone possible – it’s like you’re watching a person getting lost, or maybe a child getting abducted or something. No, but it’s simply a little bunny stuffed animal with floppy ears. I guess that shows the connection that kids share with their little toys and how vast children’s imaginations are – how they share forever bonds with those they love, even if it’s a little toy.
The limited series mixes animation with live-action so seamlessly that I had to wonder whether I don’t have the imagination to see my toys trying to communicate with them. It’s damn sweet, and the sincerity with which Ollie loves and searches for his Billy is almost inspiring. Is it possible for human beings to love someone else this purely?
The show is a humble reminder of the simpler things in life and our resilience in times of hardship, and that love exists beyond borders – open your heart up, and you can find happiness beyond what you can imagine. As Ollie faces one challenge after another, you wish for this little cutie to be helped so that he can find Billy as soon as possible. It’s a tale about friendship and companionship and so, so much love.
Ok, so the animated Ollie is cute as heck – that was probably a given. It’s a talking bunny, there’s little that can go wrong with that. But what about our little boy Billy? The character whom Ollie loves with all his heart is a sweet little guy whose life is rather hard for his age. Bullying aside, his home life is heartbreaking as well, and Ollie seems to be his only link to innocence. As his father asks him to grow up, Ollie keeps him tethered to everything sweet and hopeful. But what happens when he gets lost as well?
The animation by Industrial Light and Magic is truly magical. Watching the animation, you’ll something forget that these talking dolls aren’t real; they look great and are too realistic for my sanity!
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Anyway, Lost Ollie takes us on an epic adventure as Ollie makes new friends along the way. Some of his new acquaintances take more time than others to come to terms with Ollie’s thoughts, and as we break through these moulds, they learn new ways to open their hearts and live their lives.
In the back of this epic adventure is a heartbreaking family tragedy that is subtly played in the background. The audience watches the tragedy unfold slowly, and at first, you can just imagine what’s going on as the story makes it apparently but doesn’t tell us everything. Plus, we’re following a stuffed bunny’s memories, so you know, it’s not always very consistent.
But Lost Ollie is damn sweet, and there isn’t a moment when your heart won’t be full of love. That’s mostly because Ollie himself is damn adorable; it’s difficult not to fall in love with him and his valiant efforts! Plus, all the characters, whether they are main or extras, have such depth to them that you are swept up in their lives and emotions.
Summing Up: Lost Ollie
Lost Ollie is an adorably enjoyable series full of hope and love and is perfect for family time. It’s interesting how the kids can interact with Ollie and the other stuffed animals, but the adults can’t. It just proves how kids are just so pure with their intentions and full of adventure. Maybe it’s time for us adults to learn a thing or two, isn’t it?
Lost Ollie is streaming on Netflix.
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