For every film from Pixar about finding fulfillment in life (“Soul,” “Toy Story 2”), tackling depression (“Inside Out”), and the numerous stories about loss (“Up,” “Finding Nemo,” “Coco,” “The Good Dinosaur,” “Onward”), there are few tales from the studio that exist to merely just be enjoyed. As mentally satisfying as it is to chew over films like “Soul” and what they mean, its far easier, and sometimes far more enjoyable, to watch a low stakes film that seeks to purely entertain.
Such is the case with “Luca,” Pixar’s latest animated film and the feature directorial debut from Enrico Casarosa (“La Luna”). Every frame of the film is a gorgeous, auburn saturated Italian watercolor masterpiece, with an incredible accompanying score and overall sense of summer whimsy. It also demonstrates the fine line a film can walk between being a piece of pure entertainment without sacrificing depth under the surface.
Jacob Tremblay (“Wonder,” “Room”) and Jack Dylan Grazer (“It,” “Shazam!”) play Luca and Alberto, respectively, a pair of sea monsters who spend a summer on land in the Italian coastal town of Porto Rosso. There they encounter various charming characters, such as Giulia Marcovaldo, voiced by Emma Berman in her film debut, her father Massimo, voiced by Marco Barricelli in his film debut, and the antagonistic Vespa-obsessed Ercole, voiced by Saverio Raimondo.
Screenwriters Mike Jones (“Soul”) and Jesse Andrews (“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl,” “Every Day”) and Casarosa have created a true fantasy in the sense that the film easily transports audiences to the wonderful world of Porto Rosso. The cool blues and warm summer atmosphere help to accentuate the perfectly silly nature of the entire film. For a studio so consumed with making “serious” works, “Luca” serves as a fantastic reminder of how good their comedic work can be when they put their mind to it.
The various vocal performances throughout the film are also excellent. There’s always been a trend in “Hollywood” animation where most big actors are cast to voice roles but not really do any voice “acting.” Pixar continues their trend of mixing big name actors with lesser knowns and getting fantastic performances out of all of them. Rainmondo’s villain Ercole is wonderfully silly and idiotic without sacrificing any menace, Berman’s Giulia is a delightful anarchistic bookworm who offsets Alberto and Luca’s whimsy wonderfully, and Barricelli is an absolutely lovable teddy bear of a hulking father figure as Massimo.
Tremblay and Grazer absolutely steal the show however, and their chemistry helps to prop up one of the film’s biggest unforeseen boons, more on that later. Their friendship feels organic and natural, and the energy of their antics and pre-teen attitudes make the film feel as though you’re just watching a couple best friends hang out. It never feels artificial and strengthens the film’s emotional stakes, as their friendship is at the crux of it all.
Much has been made of the film’s themes of otherness, being an outsider, hiding your true self, and trying to discover what kind of person you are. These themes aren’t anything new to film, particularly for family animated movies, and yet there’s just something about the way Luca does it that feels so fresh.
It might be the aesthetic, the music, the summery feeling, but many people have pointed out one thing in particular: the film’s queer subtext. While this could easily be traced back to the themes of hiding your true self or otherness, the Italian countryside and chemistry between Alberto and Luca has had many fans reading queer subtext into the film. After all, the byline for the New York Times review of the film was “Calamari by Your Name.”
Also, it’s just likely coincidence that the film features two young boys as merfolk, a common fantasy creature most young queer boys find themselves gravitating towards. Nonetheless, these themes have been read by numerous corners of the internet from the film’s first trailer, and to see that the film doesn’t inherently shut these readings down. In fact, without spoiling anything, there are quite a few moments, intentional or not, that even seem to support these readings.
It’s a testament to the film’s commitment to subtext that doesn’t overload the film that these themes can be read or not, and it doesn’t harm the quality of the overall product. “Luca” is a delightfully entertaining treat that doesn’t sacrifice its emotion or humor for one or the other. It’s vocal performances and visual designs are some of Pixar’s best, and it’s another easy recommendation from the studio, whether its summertime or not. 4.5/5
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