Pixar's Luca s Soul in heading straight to streaming on Disney+. Unlike Cruella, Mulan, and Raya and the Last Dragon, which all got the Premier Access option, the latest Pixar animation will be available to stream without an additional fee. Luca, directed by Enrico Casarosa from a screenplay by Jesse Andrews and Mike Jones, is heartwarming, beautifully told, and would have been well worth seeing on the big screen. With Luca, Pixar recaptures a lot of the magic and heart that its animations are known for while providing a lovely, heartwarming character journey.
Luca Paguro (Jacob Tremblay) is a sea creature who can transform into a human when on land. In the sea, he spends his days tending to a school of fish like a shepherd while often growing bored from the daily monotony. Luca’s overprotective mother, Daniela (Maya Rudolph), is adamant about her son staying in the ocean; she knows that humans fear them and their first instinct is to kill what they perceive as dangerous sea monsters. However, when Luca meets Alberto Scorfano (Jack Dylan Grazer), he’s introduced to a whole new world. Wanting to avoid being sent away to the deeper end of the ocean, Luca and Alberto head to the local town of Portorosso where they meet Giulia (Emma Berman) and her in the competition in a bid to win a vespa and leave the sea behind for good.
The film, similar to Finding Nemo, explores the parent-child relationship between Luca and his mother, whose claims of wanting to protect her son don’t hide the fact that it’s her own fear that prevents her from letting Luca go. The film does a great job of showing how parental fear, along with the anxiety of being out in the world, can affect children growing up. The audience sees as much with Luca’s hesitancy about coming to the surface and, later, when he holds back from riding a bike down a trail with Alberto. It’s through Luca’s own growth and realizations that he is able to find a balance between his gripping fear and simply being cautious, which makes for a multilayered and emotionally moving story that is rooted in friendship.
Luca and his mother’s fears are juxtaposed to the fear the townspeople feel about the sea monsters; they’re quick to grab their spears and get all riled up for no reason. Fear can warp perception, keeping people guarded, and it is something Luca works to unravel at every turn, especially as it sees the world through the eyes of its titular character who doesn’t fully understand what all the fuss is about. Luca also captures the immense joy of being out in the world and getting to explore new things. Luca, Alberto, and Giulia make a great trio and their adventures are full of optimism and wide-eyed excitement that will resonate with younger and adult of the audience.
The film is set on the Italian Riviera and its characters get to speak a few words and phrases in Italian, which is also a lovely reminder of the culture and language the film is showcasing in Portorosso rather than have it be a nameless, blank town. Luca dreams of not only being on land, but of learning new things and gaining knowledge born of curiosity. That the animation explores his desire for expanding his mind is lovely and pivotal to his character development. Luca’s overprotective, yet very loving parents, are also a stark contrast to Alberto’s lack of parental guidance. The main characters’ personalities and behaviors differ because of this, and Luca handles both narratives with warmth and an abundance of heart.
While there are certain aspects of the film’s story that could have been expanded upon and a somewhat frustrating antagonist in Ercole Visconti (Saverio Raimondo), who is much older than the core trio to be as petty as he is about a competition, Luca is a wonderful coming of age story with a nice message that balances deep emotions and a lot of adventurous fun.
Luca is available to stream on Disney+ on Friday, June 18. The film is 95 minutes long and is rated PG for rude humor, language, some thematic elements and brief violence.
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Pixar's Luca follows Luca Paguro (Jacob Tremblay), a young sea monster child with the ability to appear human when on land. While exploring the town of Portorosso in 1959, he meets fellow sea monster Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) and human Giulia (Emma Berman), who soon become his best friends. When Luca runs away from his underwater home, he hides out in Portorosso with Alberto and Giulia, sparking the start of an unforgettable summer adventure.
