Disney and Pixar’s Soul – A Profound Gem (Early Review)

As we approach the end of a tumultuous 2020, here is one of the last victims of the delays caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to be released this year, Disney and Pixar’s Soul. Forgoing an initial release date of June 19th of this year and a later one on November 20th of this year, the film will end up as a Christmas Day release on Disney’s Disney+ streaming platform. While it may not be the most ideal situation, the film will certainly be a welcome Christmas present for any viewers who may find themselves at home on that fateful day. It also doesn’t hurt that it is happens to be one of the best films of the year. Pete Docter has played a part in some of the best Disney and Pixar collaborations such as Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Up, and Inside Out once again he delivers a gem that may not quite pack the emotional punch of the latter film but it is still one that should entertain and dazzle viewers of all ages all the while making them think about the big questions.

Soul tells the story of middle-school band teacher Joe Gardner (Foxx) who got his chance of a lifetime to perform at the best jazz club in town put on hold after a incident leads to his soul being transported to The Great Before, a magical place where aspiring souls are prepared with personalities, quirks and interests before assuming lives up on Earth. There, he would meet 22 (Fey), an outcast soul with no aspirations for moving on to a potential life on Earth. 22, for whatever reason, never understood the appeal of humanity but they clearly had lessons to teach other over the course of the film. Those differing perspectives playing out against each other was so compelling to watch. Though the end result may be predictable, the journey there certainly was not. As far as Joe was concerned, all he wanted to do was get back to his body on Earth. However, doing so was not going to be that simple. First, he would need to help 22 to find her spark, something that was easier said than done.

Having gone through hundreds of mentors (many hilarious sequences featuring countless famous historical figures) to no avail, a different approach was inevitably needed. This time, there was just something different about her and Joe. An unexpected turn of events brought them even closer together, affecting each of their futures for the better as their experiences tested their bond and their perceptions of their collective purpose and the meaning of life. Not to mention, Soul is also hilarious more often than not with the prototypical Disney/Pixar humor that is sure to appeal to both young and old. Ultimately, the film, just like many Disney/Pixar films have done in the past, gives us a pair of well-rounded characters that audiences are easy to care about and worth investing in on an emotional level. Through the good and bad times, we care and are invested in the outcomes of these characters. Without this, anything else the film may offer essentially doesn’t matter.

What definitely went a long way towards building Soul was its masterful script. Besides the great characters and the hilarious humor, it’s profoundness in terms of the big questions about the meaning of life is also very poignant. Though the latter may be too much for younger audiences, it’s hardly a negative as the first two still work so well in what was an incredible balancing act. The moment where it all comes together is one reminiscent to the past Disney/Pixar marquee moments that will surely lead some viewers to cry. Meanwhile, the film great score helps to reinforce that emotion and sometimes elicit emotion in its own right. In the end, what ties it all together were the spectacular performances from Foxx and Fey as Joe and 22 (though the voice acting as a whole, just like most Disney/Pixar films, was great). Each brought plenty of emotion to their respective roles while their comedic timing created a fun chemistry between the two, creating some impressive range (Fey especially).

At the end of the day, Soul is yet another Disney/Pixar gem worthy of a Christmas watch (or anytime for that matter).

still courtesy of Disney

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.