Enjoyable and worthwhile, but somewhat troubled with an attempt to blend earnest substance and childish entertainment
On the one hand, Disney and Pixar tend to be very, very reliable for great storytelling in animation, with only occasional counterexamples that are less stellar. Then, too - who doesn't love red pandas, adorable as they are? And this flick did earn a lot of award nominations, after all. On the other hand, the first word of mouth I'd actually heard about 'Turning red' wasn't so rapturous; what still sticks out to me was criticism that suggested it was one of the studios' lesser creations, if not an outright failure, with less than the usual amount of earnest, heartfelt storytelling compared to kid-friendly, lighthearted entertainment. And outside of those award nominations, and that harsher verbiage, to be honest I've not particularly seen people talking about this at all. So in sitting to watch this 2022 release, how does it truly stack up?
Unfortunately, in all frankness, I'm swiftly inclined to agree pretty firmly with the more biting assessment. Call me a cynic, and jaded; you're not wrong. Yet for all the potential this boasted, and all the welcome sincere thought that did go into it, I think the execution reflects to too great an extent a sort of frivolous entertainment that matches or possibly even outweighs the substance to be found herein. I did enjoy this, yet for all the lasting value it truly does offer, the lighter side of the material threatens to undo it.
Don't get me wrong, there is a lot to love here. Filmmaker Domee Shi, and co-writers Julia Cho and Sarah Streicher, give us a story full of meaningful thoughts, and even as the script is unexpectedly forthright about its themes and ideas, I admire the tenacity to pursue them under the umbrella of a media giant who generally refuses or at least plays down anything of a more delicate or difficult nature. This picture is very plainly all about puberty, and speaks directly to menstruation, while addressing for both gravity and merriment notions including high emotions and mood swings, sexual development and changing social pressures, and changing relationships within a family. That's on top of themes of tradition and heritage not just having importance but possibly holding sway over a person's life, conflict and the weight of expectations between generations, helicopter parents denying their children agency out of a sense of overprotectiveness and the limitations of their own experiences, asserting one's individuality and finding one's own path forward, and more.
And that's not all. On top of the hardiest portions of the writing, this represents a terrific blend of comedy, drama, and fantasy, with some slight musical sensibilities laid on top. It definitely earns some laughs, with no small amount of wit on top of broad silliness; at the same time, other moments are surprisingly impactful, and there are some lines so pointedly sharp that I just want to outright cheer Shi (one line given to Mei in the last minutes is as brilliant and cutting as it is now, in light of current events in real life, thoroughly depressing). Shi, Cho, and Streicher clearly poured a lot of care into these characters, their personalities, and the relationships between them, further taking into account modern Teens, and Chinese heritage, and still much more. Of course the 3D animation of Disney and Pixar is dependably outstanding, and the voice acting is great. I appreciate Ludwig Göransson's original score, and the original songs of Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell are a blast in and of themselves, and I say that as someone who doesn't particularly go in for pop music. All this culminates with a climax that's rather spectacular - personally somewhat reminding of the underappreciated 1983 classic 'Rock & rule' with its combination of enchanting music, visual fancy, character stakes, and drama - and a satisfying ending. On a side note, I award proverbial bonus points for the cheek of kind of toying with furry sensibilities, and again as a cat lover for a passing sequence where I wouldn't be able to contain myself if I were in Mei's place.
If all these aspects of the feature are so excellent, where does it go wrong? Why am I not more enthused? Right from the start 'Turning red' tends to lean hard into cutesy, brash, noisy childishness for its own sake that I find off-putting. There's a type of silliness that's clever and raucous as it upends expectations, or so brazenly leaps into outrageousness as to dare you to hate it - and then there's silliness that's simple-minded and boorish, worst of all when it caters to the most base and low-brow of audiences, or condescends to appeal to young children for whom it is believed that more shrewd humor would fly over their heads. As Mei exuberantly talks directly into the camera, as she and her friends dance and sing, as they ogle every boy in sight, as they devolve into giggling immaturity that I found tiresome even when I, myself, was thirteen years old, and not least wherever fictional boy band 4-Town are spotlighted, I have a hard time believing that any adults could get on board with the juvenility, and I have to assume that even viewers of the appropriate age would sneer at the worst instances as "baby stuff for babies." Older viewers will appreciate core substance, as I have, but there's no guarantee that the intended younger viewers will. Wherever the flick favors fun and frivolity it threatens to wholly overshadow the substance, to say nothing of those times when the presentation before us is nothing but such playfulness. There's much to love here, yes, but I don't think it makes a great first impression, and there's imbalance all throughout the length.
I'm glad for those who get still more out of this movie than I do. It's very possible that I'm being too strict and judgmental, and looking at the title from a perspective that fails to grasp what kids really like, and the significance this would have for the communities and demographics being depicted. I grant these allowances, and note that it IS very gratifying to see the diversity and inclusion 'Turning red' can claim even in passing visuals, let alone in the filmmakers involved and in the writing. Still, something is sadly off-kilter here as the film tries to be both a giddy good time and a heartfelt rumination on sober topics, and when all is said and done I do think it's one of the weaker productions among all those that Disney and Pixar have churned out. I still like it by all means, and I think it earns a soft recommendation; may others find it more roundly absorbing and rewarding than I have. For my part, however, 'Turning red' just isn't quite the exemplar that we have come to anticipate from studios of such deserved renown, and I would suggest somewhat tempering one's expectations before sitting for it.
Unfortunately, in all frankness, I'm swiftly inclined to agree pretty firmly with the more biting assessment. Call me a cynic, and jaded; you're not wrong. Yet for all the potential this boasted, and all the welcome sincere thought that did go into it, I think the execution reflects to too great an extent a sort of frivolous entertainment that matches or possibly even outweighs the substance to be found herein. I did enjoy this, yet for all the lasting value it truly does offer, the lighter side of the material threatens to undo it.
Don't get me wrong, there is a lot to love here. Filmmaker Domee Shi, and co-writers Julia Cho and Sarah Streicher, give us a story full of meaningful thoughts, and even as the script is unexpectedly forthright about its themes and ideas, I admire the tenacity to pursue them under the umbrella of a media giant who generally refuses or at least plays down anything of a more delicate or difficult nature. This picture is very plainly all about puberty, and speaks directly to menstruation, while addressing for both gravity and merriment notions including high emotions and mood swings, sexual development and changing social pressures, and changing relationships within a family. That's on top of themes of tradition and heritage not just having importance but possibly holding sway over a person's life, conflict and the weight of expectations between generations, helicopter parents denying their children agency out of a sense of overprotectiveness and the limitations of their own experiences, asserting one's individuality and finding one's own path forward, and more.
And that's not all. On top of the hardiest portions of the writing, this represents a terrific blend of comedy, drama, and fantasy, with some slight musical sensibilities laid on top. It definitely earns some laughs, with no small amount of wit on top of broad silliness; at the same time, other moments are surprisingly impactful, and there are some lines so pointedly sharp that I just want to outright cheer Shi (one line given to Mei in the last minutes is as brilliant and cutting as it is now, in light of current events in real life, thoroughly depressing). Shi, Cho, and Streicher clearly poured a lot of care into these characters, their personalities, and the relationships between them, further taking into account modern Teens, and Chinese heritage, and still much more. Of course the 3D animation of Disney and Pixar is dependably outstanding, and the voice acting is great. I appreciate Ludwig Göransson's original score, and the original songs of Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell are a blast in and of themselves, and I say that as someone who doesn't particularly go in for pop music. All this culminates with a climax that's rather spectacular - personally somewhat reminding of the underappreciated 1983 classic 'Rock & rule' with its combination of enchanting music, visual fancy, character stakes, and drama - and a satisfying ending. On a side note, I award proverbial bonus points for the cheek of kind of toying with furry sensibilities, and again as a cat lover for a passing sequence where I wouldn't be able to contain myself if I were in Mei's place.
If all these aspects of the feature are so excellent, where does it go wrong? Why am I not more enthused? Right from the start 'Turning red' tends to lean hard into cutesy, brash, noisy childishness for its own sake that I find off-putting. There's a type of silliness that's clever and raucous as it upends expectations, or so brazenly leaps into outrageousness as to dare you to hate it - and then there's silliness that's simple-minded and boorish, worst of all when it caters to the most base and low-brow of audiences, or condescends to appeal to young children for whom it is believed that more shrewd humor would fly over their heads. As Mei exuberantly talks directly into the camera, as she and her friends dance and sing, as they ogle every boy in sight, as they devolve into giggling immaturity that I found tiresome even when I, myself, was thirteen years old, and not least wherever fictional boy band 4-Town are spotlighted, I have a hard time believing that any adults could get on board with the juvenility, and I have to assume that even viewers of the appropriate age would sneer at the worst instances as "baby stuff for babies." Older viewers will appreciate core substance, as I have, but there's no guarantee that the intended younger viewers will. Wherever the flick favors fun and frivolity it threatens to wholly overshadow the substance, to say nothing of those times when the presentation before us is nothing but such playfulness. There's much to love here, yes, but I don't think it makes a great first impression, and there's imbalance all throughout the length.
I'm glad for those who get still more out of this movie than I do. It's very possible that I'm being too strict and judgmental, and looking at the title from a perspective that fails to grasp what kids really like, and the significance this would have for the communities and demographics being depicted. I grant these allowances, and note that it IS very gratifying to see the diversity and inclusion 'Turning red' can claim even in passing visuals, let alone in the filmmakers involved and in the writing. Still, something is sadly off-kilter here as the film tries to be both a giddy good time and a heartfelt rumination on sober topics, and when all is said and done I do think it's one of the weaker productions among all those that Disney and Pixar have churned out. I still like it by all means, and I think it earns a soft recommendation; may others find it more roundly absorbing and rewarding than I have. For my part, however, 'Turning red' just isn't quite the exemplar that we have come to anticipate from studios of such deserved renown, and I would suggest somewhat tempering one's expectations before sitting for it.
- I_Ailurophile
- Mar 28, 2025