Turning Red

 I'm tempted to comment on a recent, now offline review, of Pixar's Turning Red. Among other things, it said the film wasn't made for a universal audience and was made for the director's family and friends.

 Really? I'd like to think some films help us relate to universal themes despite their "limited scope." Otherwise, I wouldn't relate to films about a high school girl dealing with her mother's death or a billionaire on a nighttime crusade. There's quite a bit to relate to in this animated tale conceived by director Domee Shi, an Oscar-winner for the short, Bao. Let's see what they are:

It's 2002 in Toronto. Meilin "Mei" Lee (Rosalie Chang) has just turned thirteen. She's got girly interests like Tamagotchis and the Boy Band 4-Town, which she shares with her besties, Miriam, Priya and Abby. But she's also an overachiever who struggles to live up to her mom, Ming's (Sandra Oh), standards. One morning, she discovers that she can "poof" into a giant Red Panda when she's overexcited and can de-poof when she calms down. It's an "inconvenience" passed down from generations.

Mei's panda self makes her the most popular kid in school. But Ming would rather have her suppress the panda. A specific ritual on a Red Moon can do that, but it's on the night of a 4-Town concert. But Mei accepts the panda form as a quirk and not a curse. How will she get through to her mother? It all leads to a titanic argument at the Skydome.

What's there to relate to in Shi and Julia Cho's script? To start, it's sure to provoke some turn-of-the-millennium nostalgia for anyone who was around Mei's age back then (I was fifteen). Second, it tells the story of a kid dealing with familial and social expectations. Anyone who worried about failing either can relate to Mei. The film mines plenty of dread and audacious comedy out of her controlling the panda curse. The best surprise is seeing that her friends and classmates accept her once they find out. Indeed, one of the strongest scenes is when Mei's friends cheer her up when they see her panda-sized.

We quickly meet Mei with her opening narration. She tells us how she still pursues her kid interests despite the taxing expectations. She and her friends endear us with their quirky and likable personalities. We're quite invested when they fall out and later reconcile after Ming confronts them. Her friends even help Mei and her family calm Ming down when she upsizes into a colossal Red Panda. Who wouldn't want to have friends like these?

Let's talk about the adults. Ming's overbearingness makes her the film's primary antagonist. She inadvertently hinders Mei more than helps, especially when she unfairly blames her friends for her "rebelliousness." We soon see that she's got her own issues to deal with. Mei's Dad Jin (Orion Lee) gives her a much-needed pep talk just before the Red Moon ritual. Mei's aunts are a good bunch, while Grandma Lee (Wai Ching Ho) is a stern yet reasonable woman. James Hong also stands out as Mr. Gao, who assists the Red Moon ritual.

This is a technically appealing film. The production and character designs are visually striking, especially when they incorporate anime aesthetics. Mei and her friends frequently sport plenty of amusing expressions throughout the film. The best designs are Mei and her elders' Red Panda forms, all of them being irresistibly fluffy creatures. It's all set to an outstanding score from Ludwig Goransson and a few catchy pop songs written by Finneas O'Connell (who also voices Jesse of 4-Town) and Billie Eillish. 

What's not to like about Turning Red? It's a well-made and well-told fantastical coming-of-age story. There's plenty to relate with its main protagonist even if you didn't have her "inconvenience." Find out for yourself when you press play on Disney Plus. It's so good that I'm watching it again as I write this. Maybe I'll press play a third time today. It's a great use of 100 minutes.