At the highest point of the pandemic in December, Pixar came out with the incredible, thoughtful, observed “Soul.” Now, with summer and things looking up, the studio releases the opposite: “Luca,” a funny, lighthearted vacation film.
Released yesterday on Disney+, thankfully without a
premier access fee, and in theaters, “Luca” looks to entertain rather than understanding.
It feels just right.
This is the directing debut of Enrico Casarosa, story
artist on “Ratatouille,” “Up” and “Coco,” and director of the short “La Luna.”
Like many Pixar films, especially last year’s “Onward,”
it’s about deep, life-changing childhood emotions.
A young character is curious about the land but lacks
the courage – and the support of his protective parents – to venture out on
land. (Jeffrey Anderson asked in his review, “Are all animators shy and
withdrawn?”)
Anderson continued, “As happens so often in life, a
bold rapscallion befriends the reluctant one and gives him a helpful push.”
Luca, voiced by Jacob Tremblay, is actually a sea creature,
whose job is to watch a hilarious flock of sheep-like fish, which stare blankly
in the far waters while making “baa” sounds.
While out with his flock, he finds some human objects,
and, like Ariel in “The Little Mermaid,” gets really interested in them.
However, his mother (Maya Rudolph) and father (Jim
Gaffigan) don’t allow him to go very far, or he could be seen by humans.
Here comes Alberto, voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer, whose
father left him to do anything he wants. Alberto persuades Luca to the surface,
where their scales become skin, and Luca learns to breathe and walk.
Alberto tells Luca about his dream to own a Vespa
scooter and explore the world. While he still is afraid of getting in trouble
with his parents, Luca goes with everything.
Anderson notes, “The new friends make their way to the
nearby seaside town of Portorosso in the Italian Riviera, as beautiful, as
relaxing, and as summery as a small town can get. (It’s said to be based on
director Casarosa’s childhood memories.)”
They find out that in order to get money for the
scooter, they must enlist in a race – teaming up with courageous human girl
Giulia (Emma Berman) – against an obnoxious, arrogant villain, Ercole Visconti
(Saverio Raimondo).
“Luca” has an animated sense of humor. Sacha Baron
Cohen is in here in a hilarious weird part as a spooky uncle of Luca’s.
Anderson noted, “It also gets fine mileage from a
recurring “Looney Tunes”-style joke: the monster friends must avoid getting
wet, which causes their scales to inconveniently re-appear.”
Other jokes include riding in reckless, handmade
scooters, jumping off the edges of cliffs or speeding down twisty, narrow
streets. Alberto teaches Luca a saying – “Silenzio, Bruno!” – to quiet the rebellious,
practical voice in his head.
Hands down, director Casarosa looks like he is
enjoying himself representing irresistible forces and immovable objects hitting
in unruly ways.
Anderson mentioned, “In interviews, he said he hoped
to enlist the services of legendary Italian composer Ennio Morricone (who died
in July) for the score; one can only imagine the glorious noise that would have
accompanied these high-spirited images.”
Despite Pixar’s best movies really deal with death or
the fear of growing up and distant, “Luca” pieces its focus on sub-themes,
sadly soothing the potential impact of both.
There are five parental characters we see: Luca’s
overprotective parents, his clever grandmother (Sandy Martin), Alberto’s absent
father, and Giulia’s strong fisherman father (Marco Barricelli), who becomes a
kind of surrogate father.
Anderson noted, “Then there’s an uneven triangle of
friendship. Luca is slowly drawn more into Giulia’s orbit, with her love of
outer space and the universe, than into that of Alberto, who believes stars are
sardines.”
The plot also ends with the race’s result, the mission
for the Vespa, and the eventual truth of the boys as sea creatures.
All of these elements balance interestingly in a
light, cheerful way. Anderson said, “Nothing is cluttered or forced, as was the
case in the moving “La Luna,” one of Pixar’s best shorts. About a boy goes to
work with his father and grandfather sweeping up fallen stars on the moon, it
purely and simply touches upon the passage of time and differing generations.”
Anderson continued, “Perhaps in his next feature,
Casarosa can recapture that magic, with a focus on exploration and discovery
rather merely experience.” Until then, there’s nothing wrong with a little
enjoyment, a little “bellissimo,” and “Luca” has it.
At first, I thought this was going to be the same
story that we had seen so many times and I would have to say that Pixar’s good
movie streak had finally ended. However, it wasn’t completely repetitive, as
there were so many aspects of the film that I found myself enjoying. I wouldn’t
say this is one of my favorite Pixar movies, but it’s another good one that I know
for a fact that everyone can watch and enjoy. See it on Disney+ with the whole
family and have a great time watching it.
Little sidenote: I thought that the voice actor for
Luca was the same as the voice actor for Miguel in “Coco,” but when I looked up
the voice actor, I found out that I was wrong.
Thank you for joining in on my review tonight. Look
out next week for the finale of “Mark Wahlberg Month.”
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