Soul (2020)

Directed by: Pete Docter, Kemp Powers | 100 minutes | animation, adventure | Original voice cast: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Donnell Rawlings, Questlove, Angela Bassett, Cora Champommier, Margo Hall, Daveed Diggs, Rhodessa Jones, Wes Studi, Sakina Jaffrey | Dutch voice cast: Kenny B., Jacqueline Govaerts, Glennis Grace, Ryanne van Dorst

Following the departure of John Lasseter in 2018 – who was sidetracked after allegations of transgressive behavior towards female colleagues – Pete Docter took over as creative boss at Disney/Pixar. Docter, who describes himself as “a nerdy kid from Minnesota who loves to draw cartoons,” is a man who dares to think outside the box. He has also been the man at Pixar for years who comes up with the most creative concepts. And that’s saying something, since there are more creative minds at the leading American animation studio. Docter’s work includes ‘Monster’s Inc.’ (2001), ‘Up’ (2009) and ‘Inside Out’ (2015) – not coincidentally three films that premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival – and he co-wrote the first two parts of ‘Toy Story’ (from 1995 and 1999 respectively) and ‘Wall-E’ (2008). His latest film is ‘Soul’ (2020), another fine example of conceptual animation that Docter would have liked to present to the world again in Cannes. But unfortunately, corona threw a spanner in the works and where ‘Soul’ should have been the animation hit of the year, the film ended up on the streaming service Disney + as a present for subscribers on Christmas Day.

Where in ‘Inside Out’ Docter played with emotions fighting for preeminence in the control center that is the human brain. In ‘Soul’ he goes one step further and dares to ask existential questions such as: what is the purpose of our existence? How are personalities formed? And what makes our lives worth living? At first sight heavy costs, but Pixar understands the art of reducing abstract concepts to something tangible and recognizable. Such is the case in ‘Soul’, a film for which Docter quickly came up with a main character – a middle-aged jazz musician who has almost given up hope for a major breakthrough in music. But Docter was not satisfied with the character yet. Something was still missing; a soul! It took two years to develop the character, before the decision was made to make it an African-American character. Whether prompted by #BlackLivesMatter, #OscarsSoWhite or some other call for inclusivity, the choice turned out to be a logical one considering how closely the history of jazz music and that of African Americans is intertwined. Playwright Kemp Powers was brought on board to naturally pour an African-American sauce over the film. He was initially given a 12-week contract, but it was soon extended. Because he made such valuable contributions to the whole thing, his name even landed on the co-director credits.

Joe Gardner (voice of Oscar winner Jamie Foxx) is a talented pianist who has been dreaming of a ‘big break’ for decades. But because it is yet to come, the New Yorker spends his days as a music teacher at a high school, where he tries to discover that one student among the uninterested loiterers who has talent, feeling and ambition for music. The school management is apparently happy with him, because he is offered a permanent contract. Do, says his mother (Phylicia Rashad), for whom financial security is the greatest asset. But Joe has doubts. Because doesn’t signing this contract mean that he has to put his big dream out of his mind for good? A call from former student Curly (Questlove), who is trying to build his own musical career, makes the doubt even greater for Joe: he gets to play in a performance by the famous saxophonist Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett). With his head in the clouds, Joe rushes home to put on his good suit. But then he falls into a sewer pit, meeting his end.

Or not…? Because Joe’s soul may be on its way to the gates of heaven, he won’t let himself be taken away from his great musical breakthrough. Through an unconventional route, he trades the afterlife for the hereafter, an idyllic place where unborn, blank souls are prepared before they are sent to Earth. Before they are ready for that, their personality needs to be formed. So they have to discover where they get their zest for life from. They do this through mentors, and Joe manages to be paired up with the most unruly and rebellious of all souls, 22 (Tina Fey). She has had many (some very famous!) mentors, but none of them tapped into her passion or sparked her enthusiasm for a sojourn on Earth. Joe sees 22 as his only chance to grab that golden opportunity presented to him on a silver platter and is determined to find her ‘spark’. But maybe he wants something too much…?

Heaven’s gates, lost souls, the meaning of life; Pixar is delving very deeply into the existential issues this time. Is that still fun for kids? Admittedly, the littlest ones may not pick up on all the deeper layers that Docter has put into his film, and the joke density is also a bit lower than the average Pixar film. The somewhat older children and adults recognize in ‘Soul’ the characteristics that made the best Pixar films so good: great ideas and original execution, inventiveness in themes and animation styles, emotional resonance, subtlety and an eye for detail. The animations look as usual to pass through a ring. Note the fantastic, photo-realistic way in which Pixar has designed vibrant and colorful New York. Bradford Young, who worked as a cinematographer on films such as ‘Selma’ (2014) and ‘Arrival’ (2016), was appointed to advise on lighting and shadows, and that pays off very well. Against this realistic world, Docter presents an artistic abstraction in the past, with Picasso-inspired two-dimensional figures, all named Jerry (or Terry) who guide things in the right direction. A daring choice, which works out excellently and fits in nicely with the theme of the souls that are also ‘unfinished’. The voice cast is top notch, with Richard Ayoade, Alice Braga, talk show host Graham Norton and Rachel House in top form in addition to the aforementioned actors. The music (by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross) is also fine.

If ‘Soul’ is a harbinger of what Pixar will release in the coming years, then expectations are high. Because Docter guarantees original stories in a matching jacket. We’d rather see that than the umpteenth sequel. ‘Soul’ exudes the creativity and inventiveness of Pixar’s best films. Conceptually, it may all be just a bit too much of a good thing. Because anyone hoping to get answers to those essential questions posed in ‘Soul’ will be disappointed. Docter deliberately stays in the middle, which on the one hand is somewhat unsatisfactory, but on the other hand is actually the only logical route he could have taken. It’s all little hooks and eyes that ensure that ‘Soul’ doesn’t get a perfect score, but with a daring concept, overwhelming visual splendor and captivating characters, Pixar again effortlessly touch the hearts of the viewer.