Rating: 8.5
I feel like the advertising for Turning Red really let the film down. It was a movie I was not expecting to like, and yet 20 minutes in I was sold. It wasn’t what I expected at all; I truly loved this film and think its right up there with some of Pixar’s more iconic works. It’s very different from anything else Pixar has produced, from its content and characters to its animation style, but I love that these risks were taken, and especially loved that a family animation film actually discussed topics such as puberty and periods, as well as all the other physical and emotional changes that come with adolescence. It plays more like a quirky coming of age live action film (Lady Bird, Juno, Breakfast Club) than a mainstream animated family film. This of course limits its broad appeal, as some may not be able to connect with this film, but I would argue that the film serves as a reminder that there is a common human experience that expresses itself in different ways for everyone. While I, a 19 year-old male, cannot personally relate to the experience of getting your first period, there were many elements of the film that rang very true to me, from the feelings of embarrassment and awkwardness to the increased reliance on friends over family. I also liked that the film encourages its audience to embrace their oddities and quirks and “let their panda out” / be themselves, a message I really liked as someone filled with unique and admittedly weird personality traits (*cough* movie junkie *cough*). It even had messages for parents which was really interesting, I loved how the film explored the parent and child dynamics and relationship. While it is indeed a charming and cute film, with endearing characters and some beautiful, expressive and colourful animation, I found it was deeply profound, emotionally resonant and wonderfully nostalgic. I loved really getting to know the characters, especially as we got to see the facade they put up in public vs the person they were with friends/family and how this contributed to the overall message of the film. As well, I loved the exploration of the relationship between the mother and daughter and how this drove the film. The film was also surprisingly funny and had such an awesomely surprising third act! I also loved the Toronto setting and how many Canadian details the film got right (even down to the look of our old paper $5 bills). This film is what it is because of some truly amazing work from Domee Shi, known for directing the fantastic Pixar short film “Bao”. She really has such a strong and unique voice, one I feel she could even bring over to live action filmmaking. She is truly a talent to watch and knows how to handle complex emotional topics in such interesting, profound and entertaining ways. I really hope Pixar keeps her around! She made such a personal and emotionally resonant film, one that works even if you may not share the exact same cultural or personal experiences. It was a film really driven from the heart, and I really wish Disney didn’t dump it on Disney+, it deserved a full theatrical experience (which it was intended for). It really surprised me how much I liked this movie, not only did it tell a very profound and honest coming of age story, but it was just a lot of fun! As with all Pixar films, I highly recommend checking this one out, its really something special.
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IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
Metacritic Score: 83
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Disney / Pixar
Directed by Domee Shi
Screenplay by Domee Shi & Julia Cho
Story by Domee Shi, Julia Cho & Sarah Streicher
Cast: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Hyein Park, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, James Hong
Runtime: 1hr 40min
Rating: PG
Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
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Mei Lee is a 13-year-old girl who is torn between being her mother's obedient daughter and the chaos of her youth. As if that were not enough, when she gets too excited, she turns into a big red panda.
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