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Soul | Movie Review

Soul - 2020
Directed by : Pete Docter

One of the most misleading advice we get from the people around us is, to have purpose, a passion and in Soul's language; A Spark. When you are naive, 13 or 14, receptive to all that is happening around, you cant help but listen to those advices and think about yourself and think about how does that relate to you. You hunt for your passions and mistake your hobbies and interests as passions. You go on indulging in them just to later find out that, it is not you really wanted. It never was. While the real questions of life gets sidelined and you are left with your own little petty passions in this complex, incomprehensible world. 

Even after you find your passion, or something that you truly love to do, there is not really the end of it. It isnt that concrete, or black and white thing where after finding your Spark you will be happy forever after. Tragedies happen, misfortune happen, world never goes according to your plan, the messy world is full of uncertainty, and your passions, of very little value in this senseless existence. So what really matters? Soul might not give answers on that but can give a direction, a better, humane and kind perspective, it can make your heart feel less miserable about yourself and your failures. While the message of Soul might seem too simplistic to some, but it does indeed make sense. 

Soul might be Pixar's first film truly made for adults, although kids might enjoy this too, but they might not get the best of it. It has heavy and weighty themes; of mortality, uncertainty, existentialism, midlife crisis and simply the meaning of life. Pete Doctor have in some sense tackled these themes brilliantly in his previous films too; in Inside Out, he explores the deepest emotions of our mind while not being too preachy, and giving way for emotional feel, depth and accuracy; in Up, he does the same, but more subtly, giving more way for interpretations, I still wonder that what happened was really real or was it a dream, a dying fantasy of Carl Fredericksen. And most importantly Soul have been true to the psychology of things rather than feeding you a whole bowl of suger and just make you feel good. Its ambitious. Most of the films get carried away with its own message and complexities, while Soul knows what its dealing with and does it maturely. It might be the most mature film of Pixar yet. 

The plot of Soul is complex, abstract, unique, and the description of it here might hugely reduce the fun of watching it fresh. Still here it goes. The Jazz pianist, and a teacher, Joe Gardner(voiced by Jamie Foxx), is living unsatisfied life, he always wanted to be a successful jazz pianist but end up being a teacher instead. Although he is good at it too, but surely that doesn't satisfy him. But eventually he do get the opportunity. But on the very day, he dies. Just like that. He gets stuck into the afterlife, 'The Great Beyond', which leads dead people to Oblivion, but Joe hasn't quite lived his life yet. He just got his gig today, man. Let the man live! He cant stand it. So he goes back instead and then falls into 'The Great Before', where unborn Souls are assigned personalities and find their Spark(passion, purpose or whatever). Joe has been assigned to mentor soul 22(Tina Fey), to help her find her Spark. She is tough case though! Even Carl Jung couldn't do it. And this is the only chance of Joe to get back to Earth too. So what follows is Adventure! 

Technically Pixar never does any wrong. This too, is a brilliant display of visual skills from Pixar animators. The film break the tradition of designing characters and their world in a particular way. Soul is idiosyncratic in its visuals. Its gorgeous to watch. Its insanely detailed and skillfully rendered. You get into the 'Zone' after watching it. Complimented with fabulous score, music and sharp sound design. It truly captures the freshness of Jazz. The voice acting is great, my favorite is 22(Tina Fey).

Once again Pixar raises its bar and offers something new and fresh. But the main feature will always be its pure heart and genuineness. With its beautiful message of not having need to figure out all the life and its purpose, but to live every moment to the fullest while we are here, in the very negligible, unknown part of seemingly vast and endless universe! 

Rating : ★★★★½ 
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