Soul explores life, death, and what it truly means to live…in a cute and creative way!

Soul

Joe is a middle school band teacher who’s true passion is playing Jazz professionally. When offered a full-time teaching position, he is hesitant because that would mean giving up what he truly loves to do and he isn’t ready to give up on his dream (despite his mother’s urging). When given an opportunity Joe has waited his whole life for, things don’t go as planned and he ends up at The Great Beyond. Determined to make it to his dream gig, he sets out to The Great Before where he ends up as a mentor to a soul (22, played by Tina Fey) and that’s when his life really begins. Through a series of events, Joe discovers that just because you are alive, it doesn’t mean you are living.

Soul is very creative! One of the things I loved about it was that it provided a unique outlook on what makes someone them and what drives them. Although it shouldn’t be compared to Inside Out, this movie did remind me of it because of how they were able to make a soul an actual character and explore it in such a creative way.

Although intrigued by the previews for the film. I initially had some concerns about whether or not Joe would spend most of his time as a soul, rather than himself. Given that this is Pixar’s first film with a Black Protagonist, I was really hoping this wouldn’t be another Tiana/Princess and the Frog situation but thankfully that wasn’t the case. So, if you had/have that same “fear”, fear not. I’ll leave it at that, so as to not to give too much away.

This is a movie the whole family can enjoy, The kids will enjoy an animated film that makes them laugh (thanks mostly to Tina Fey) while the adults may walk away with a few valuable lessons. It does deal with some heavy topics (life, death, purpose) but you’ll either have some good conversations after watching this film or it may just completely go over their heads.

There was a nice mix of humor and soul searching material (yes pun was intended). So what valuable lessons can we take away from the film? Well, it reminds you that life is about perspective and that just because you aren’t doing what you love doesn’t mean that you aren’t making a difference.

Overall Thoughts

I enjoyed Soul, a lot more than I thought I would. Soul left me wanting to appreciate life more especially after the year we have had. Even if you don’t walk away with a new found appreciation for life, you’ll at least be entertained.

While you are here, you should check out these 9 Fun Facts About Disney Pixar’s Soul and these Disney Pixar’s Soul Movie Quotes.

Be sure to watch Soul when it becomes available on Disney+ on December 25th.

More about Soul

What is it that makes you…YOU? Pixar Animation Studios’ all-new feature film “Soul” introduces Joe Gardner (voice of Jamie Foxx) – a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth.

Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22 (voice of Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he may just discover the answers to some of life’s most important questions.