Growing up is never easy, and this is an aspect of life that has been covered countless times in film and television. Animated movies, in particular, often mine this theme for story potential. Pixar's latest project, Turning Red, is no exception to this rule, but the movie manages to put a fresh spin on the trope, while couching it in some truly wonderful animation that takes inspiration from a number of different sources.
Directed and co-written by Domee Shi, who previously won an Academy Award for the excellent animated short Bao, Turning Red tells the story of Meilin Lee, a 13-year-old girl living in Toronto in the early 2000s, whose life is suddenly changed when she discovers that intense emotions make her turn into a giant red panda. It's a fairly simple premise, but the script and direction take this story so much deeper.
It would be fairly easy to say that Meilin's affliction is a metaphor for puberty, considering that her first transformation follows a whirlwind of sketching the cute boy who works at the local convenience store in the margins of her math homework, but Turning Red refuses such simplification of its themes. This is a story that is as much about a girl going through major life changes as it is about family legacy, living up to parental expectations, and Meilin forging a path of her own.
As a protagonist, Meilin is a breath of fresh air. She is both an overachiever and compellingly confident. She is proud of her many academic and extracurricular achievements, allowing those to bolster her already strong personality. This isn't always the case for this type of main character. Screenwriters have a tendency to make their intelligent characters quiet and reserved, most likely to allow them the character growth to come out of their shell. Meilin, by contrast, is so far out of her shell that right from Turning Red's opening minutes, it's clear that she is self-assured and happy.
This brilliant characterization allows the story to flip Meilin's life upside down, forcing her to confront an unfamiliar emotional state: being unsure of herself. It's telling that the first time she transforms into a red panda, Meilin's mother, Ming (played by Sandra Oh) believes she is having her first period, an assumption hilariously highlighted by Meilin's father's uncomfortable reaction.
Ming is an excellent, three-dimensional character who lends some real depth to Meilin's journey. At the beginning of the story, it's made clear that Meilin and Ming are very close, with the kind of mother-daughter relationship that is unhampered by secrets or animosity. The drastic changes in this relationship are one of the main conflicts in Turning Red, as Meilin's secret is revealed and she uses her panda powers to earn money for tickets to a concert by boy band 4*Town (which inexplicably features five members).
Far from being just about Meilin's personal change, Turning Red uses its story to highlight the fact that a child's relationship with their parents can also change over time, and sometimes that change can't be fully reversed. Without giving too much away, this is a story about how very often, things don't go back to normal, and how moving forward into uncharted emotional territory is necessary for personal growth.
It's in this area that Turning Red truly shines. It takes the opportunity to dive into new territory for Pixar's animated films, exploring how familial conflict can resonate through generations, and how that is often very difficult to overcome. Of course, this being a Pixar movie, part of the resolution comes with some very big and unexpected surprises. However, even with its larger-than-life magical elements, Turning Red never loses sight of what its story is really about: a girl going through life changes that will ultimately alter who she is, and how those changes affect her relationships with the people around her.
Aside from the compelling story and great characters (which also includes Meilin's friend group, all of whom have their own distinct personalities), the animation, unsurprisingly, is just stunning. The kinetic, stylistic animation is an absolute joy to watch. It's clear that Shi is drawing a lot of visual inspiration from anime, considering many of the facial expressions, action shots, and character poses are straight out of the celebrated animation medium. There are also some of the best food shots this side of Ratatouille, which includes a breakfast complete with a box of Timbits.
Turning Red is also set entirely within a real environment. The city of Toronto, particularly Chinatown, is rendered with so much care and familiarity. It's no surprise really, considering that Shi grew up in Toronto (Bao also took place in Ontario's capital city). Everything, from the interior of the streetcars to the Ontario license plates and the shape of the SkyDome (now known as the Rogers Center) is perfectly recreated. Even the colorful graffiti found in the city's alleys, something Toronto is famous for, is present. The movie also does an excellent job in portraying the diversity of Toronto's population. By so lovingly recreating her hometown, Shi creates the perfect backdrop for Turning Red's more fantastic elements.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Disney movie without great music, and Turning Red does not skimp in this department. Oscar-winning composer Ludwig Göransson, who also created the indelible theme for The Mandalorian, blends Chinese musical motifs with familiar 2000s pop beats, while Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas wrote the ear-wormy pop songs for the movie's fictional boy band. These songs are more than just fun additions to the story: they also serve as something of an emotional anchor for Meilin and her friends, who sing together as a way to connect.
Turning Red continues Pixar's record of unique coming-of-age stories, coming on the heels of Luca, another movie about young people finding themselves and navigating their place in the world. Domee Shi's directorial debut is a heartwarming, joyous, and frequently hilarious examination of growing up, going through changes, and finding an identity.
Turning Red streams on Disney Plus on March 11th.
Turning Red
When 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian Mei Lee transforms into a giant red panda, she discovers that she has inherited her family curse. Triggered by any strong emotion, Mei's ability tests her strength of character and her reserve, as well as prompting a previously undiscovered rebellious streak. Torn between accepting the changes she's going through and obeying her parents, Mei must navigate her responsibilities to her friends, her family, and herself.Â