Soul

Image credit: Wikipedia

I have to apologise to my readers for the inconsistent uploads of fresh content these past few months. Social, personal, and mental excuses are all that I can give. But I am trying to get some structure and routine back into the film-review part of my life and I’m starting with Pixar’s newest (at least it was months ago) feature film: Soul.

Soul tells the story of a dispirited music teacher who is gradually losing his zest for life. But that changes when he lands the jazz gig of his dreams! Thinking things are finally looking up, disaster strikes when he dies in an accident and, through a series of mishaps, his soul ends up on the other side. The race is on to get back to his body and play the gig, but along the way he’ll meet people and see things that’ll teach him that there’s more to life than his one passion: music. 

I am totally here for what Pixar do in their films. The complex themes of life made accessible to kids and depictions of the complicated relationships that make up everyday life; I love it, I support it. Soul tackles the greater questions of death, life, passion, and life’s meaning; a very ambitious lot to pile onto a plate and I applaud the attempt. Sadly, I felt that Pixar had eyes too big for their stomach with this one. The abstract theme-processing machine from Inside Out would have had its work cut out for it and would most likely have short-circuited. While Soul does make these themes a little more digestible for a young audience, it frequently gets confused by them and loses the thread of what it’s trying to do. ‘Soul’, while being a cute pun, becomes a quick mislabel used for the literal soul of the dying body and the passion that drives the body to live. Having the title mean multiple things takes away some of the story’s accessibility.

Image credit: Screen Realm

But, happily, this narrative flaw doesn’t bring down the entire film. The animation is still crisp and beautiful, and the film is filled with fascinating characters and cute explanations as to how personalities are formed. The music is absolutely magnificent, as can be expected from a film called ‘Soul’. The pun of the title is celebrated in the soundtrack. 

Soul is a cute and heart-warming little film that I did quite enjoy, despite the confused and trying ambitions of the themes it was trying to demystify. I’d recommend it as a happy little family time if you’re looking for something to while away some hours with.

Director: Peter Docter & Kemp Powers, 2020

Cast: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Donnell Rawlings, Angela Bassett, and Wes Studi