Soul
Soul (2020)
Things are about to get trippy. New York high school music teacher Joe (Jamie Foxx) finally gets the chance he’s always dreamed of - to play piano for a jazz icon (Angela Bassett). And just as life gives him a break he suffers a fatal fall and finds himself on his way to the big bright light in the sky. Unwilling to accept his fate, unlike other souls who are at peace with their trajectory, he escapes to The Great Before; A zen marshmallow landscape where thousands of cute little souls are assigned personality traits by a counsellor (all named Jerry) before being assigned a human form on Earth.
Are you still with me? Good. Joe seizes the opportunity to mentor troubled soul 22 (Tina Fey) and makes it back to Earth where it all becomes a little more familiar and fun.
Dealing with themes of death, broken dreams and depression you’d wonder if it’s too mature for children. But don’t worry about them, they take things at face value. It’s the adults who need to study Soul. This adult found some scenes so moving that tears didn’t need to be blinked to fall.
Of course it’s not a question these days about Pixar’s sophisticated animation. Naturally, it’s outstanding. Twice, in fact, I questioned whether a shot was indeed animated. The downtown subway has never looked more grim and the autumnal New York streets never more romantic. The Great Before is conceivably celestial with surreal and abstract imagery. As one Jerry comments, they appear in a form that our feeble human brain can comprehend.
It may sound odd to comment on the depth of performances but let’s start giving them the credit they deserve. An Oscar nomination perhaps? The conflict of warmth and desperation Jamie Foxx exudes is brilliant. Tina Fey’s dynamic fall into dark despair is one of the most distressing and relatable performances I’ve experienced. I’ve never wanted to help someone more.
Graham Norton (that’s right!) is a triumph as a medium who transcends Earth and The Great Before, searching for and rescuing lost souls. His scenes are a reassuring pleasure.
Sometimes Pixar can be dauntingly over sentimental. But Soul holds the right balance of philosophising and farce to not leave you too wrung out. Profound, inspiring, and comforting. A film for lost adults, disguised as a film for kids. It is ultimately about hope. A lesson in listening. And to take pride in where you find your bliss.
9 Divine Thumbs Up!
