Lots of Soul, Lots of Heart
Rolling out as the 23rd film in Pixar’s line-up, Soul turned out to be an unexpectedly compelling and just plain fun experience. I had little hope or interest upon first hearing about it back in its “in development” phase, but Soul may have just earned its place as another of the studio’s heavy hitters.
Death is a common theme in Pixar’s movies. Despite youngsters being Pixar’s main demographic, the lamp-hopping studio isn’t shy about playing the existential dread card, time and time again reminding us that our lives are finite, whether through toys (Toy Story 3), emotions (Inside Out), or the undead (Coco).
This time, while death is a theme of this film (because of course it is), the bigger theme is purpose, or rather, the spark via which we relish this bizarre gift/curse of existence we call life. So, not only is Pixar keen to remind me once again that my demise is inevitable, but I am also reminded of Up’s opening sequence, in that there’s a chance that I could die without ever achieving my dreams. This goes hand-in-hand with Coco’s message of, “most of us will be forgotten after we die”.
Thanks, Pixar. Really needed that during this pandemic!
Cynicism aside, Soul carries two positive messages, the first being that it’s never too late to start. The second is that we should cherish and nurture the little things.
Our protagonist is Joe Gardener (voiced by Jamie Foxx), a middle-aged jazz enthusiast in a “those who can’t do, teach” rut. He’s a music teacher dealing with schoolkids whose output is not quite his tempo. However, instead of tossing chairs at people’s heads à la Whiplash, Joe dreams of a better life—the career in jazz he never had.
Viewers will relate to dear Joe’s predicament, as many of us have struggled with reconciling the rosy-cheeked hopes and dreams of our youth with the soul-sucking reality that is (or can be) our adulthood. We drift through life, wondering what our true purpose is, questioning every decision we make and doubting whether we are on the right path to happiness and contentment. For some, life doesn’t start until 30 or beyond. In many ways, when I think of Joe Gardner, I am reminded of Bob Parr typing away hopelessly at his while-collar office job in The Incredibles.
Our protagonist’s midlife crisis is put on hold once the plot kicks in and his soul is unexpectedly separated from his body – just as he’s about the get the big career-making break of a lifetime. After an existential shock, Joe, not ready to accept his fate, sets out on an extraplanar romp to get his incorporeal rear back to Earth.
Pretty much off the bat, I found Joe relatable in terms of his motivation and decisions. Every time he tried something new or had a certain reaction to a new concept or plot development, I would think, “Yep, that’s what I’d do,” all the way to the choice he makes during the film’s denouement.
Joe Gardner is joined by a mischievous soul named 22 (Tina Fey). Not having been “born” yet, 22 is of immeasurable age and has been bumbling about for eons in the Great Before, a realm where souls are plucked from the void before getting a meatsuit.
I expected 22 to be insufferable like many childlike sidekicks that co-star in these sorts of animated films. Nonetheless, this ethereal brat turned out to be an endearing and adorable comrade to Joe. She manages to be naughty without being spiteful, to cause chaos without derailing the plot, to infuriate without losing appeal. 22’s hook also fits perfectly with the film’s theme; she is missing that “spark” needed to transcend to the realm of the living. One could observe that she and Joe are cut from the same cloth, as her life (prelife? unlife?) is also stuck.
I also was delighted by Terry, one of the squiggly-lined stewards of the other side. This soul-counter serves as a minor antagonist of sorts, an obsessive accountant/auditor hellbent on keeping every soul in check. Sleek animation combined with Rachel House’s stellar performance and New Zealand accent made this celestial bureaucrat stand out.
Other characters worth mentioning include Moonwind (voiced by Graham Norton), an eccentric soul capable of crossing between planes of existence. There are also the soul councillors, all named Jerry (various voices). Moonwind and the Jerries excellently provide the film with its comic relief and exposition of its intricate mythology.
The film’s tone is of Pixar’s usual schtick: colourful and engaging mixed with profundity and drama. There’s also a smidge of straight-faced dark humour, which got me right in the edgy funny bone; it was just dark enough to get me to snort a couple of times.
Soul is less about death than it is about purpose and the bittersweet assurance that one’s calling might not come until long after our formative years have ended. It is also about how, no matter what path we choose, it is really the little things that make life worth living.
