Back when Disney acquired Marvel Studios & Lucasfilm (Star Wars), it was observed that the acquisitions meant that Disney would concentrate on their Princesses, and the young girl audience; while leaving Marvel & Star Wars to bring in the boys. Pixar (formally acquired by Disney in 2006) was already the exception, with films that deftly played to the younger children, regardless of gender; and yet managed to be enjoyed by the adult audience, on their own terms. Toy Story, Up, The Incredibles, Coco, and last year's Soul, are fine examples of this brilliant Pixar duality.
The new Pixar/Disney release available for streaming on Disney+ is Luca, and at its core, it’s a love poem to boyhood/childhood, and how a simple thing like a Vespa scooter can represent the dream of moving away from the shadow of your parents, discovering freedom, and forging your own identity.
Set in the seaside town of Portorosso on the Italian Riviera in the 1950’s (but with a timeless veneer), at the center of the tale is Luca, a young sea monster - aquatic creatures who have the uncanny ability to turn into humans when out of the water. And we follow Luca (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), as he befriends Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer), and embarks on a coming of age story that has them sharing several dry land adventures - with the constant danger of being discovered for what they are, sea monsters, feared and hunted by the local village-folk.
Director Enrico Casarosa has said the film is inspired by his own growing up in Genoa. In particular, it’s Casarosa reminiscing about that friend who helped him change his world view, made him see the vistas and possibilities that lay beyond. It’s wonderful how the film creates a tangible symbol of this longing, this yearning for more, in a Vespa scooter. It’s an iconic image of the Italian dolce vita, the life on the road, and seeking adventure. And for the two young boys, the Vespa is the embodiment of coolness and maturity.
You’ll laugh as they first assemble their own Vespa from scrap material and junk, then decide to join the annual Portorosso Cup triathlon to win a cash prize, and buy their very own Vespa. In order to achieve this they join forces with a wonderful Pixar creation, the spunky, tomboy-ish underdog, Giulia (Emma Berman). Up against the boys and Giulia is the film’s closest thing to an antagonist, Ercole (Saverio Raimondo), an egotistical buffoon of a bully, who owns a Vespa and has been winning the annual race for years — even when technically, he’s too old to join the race.
Hilarious is how the triathlon is its own Portorosso version - swim, eat a load of pasta, then bike. And good luck to you if you can do the biking without throwing up! The film is light, full of pastel colors, the animation influenced by Italian neorealism. And there are enough plot twists and turns to keep both children and adults engrossed in the narrative.
When I first watched the trailer, to be honest, I was afraid this was going to just be an updated twist on Disney’s Little Mermaid formula, but given a gender change of two young mer-men. Thankfully, it’s so much more. Think of Pixar’s Finding Nemo for the visual elements of the first quarter of the film; and then watch the Little Mermaid elements get really worked on by the two boys/sea monsters. Tension is never far, as when on terra firma, it takes nothing more than a drop of water to have them reverting to sea monster form.
And if there’s a scene-stealer in this film, my personal choice would be the pet cat of Guilia’s family, Machiavelli. He’s the most incredible, poker-faced representation of suspicion that you’ll find in the world of animation. Watched this with Issa and her two daughters, and they loved the film…and Machiavelli, giggling during all his scenes.
Taking on themes of accepting the marginalized, fearing what you don’t know, how coming of age has its ups and downs, and the bonds of family; there’s truly much to enjoy in this film. It may not carry the emotional weight and texture of films like Up, but there’s enough Pixar-dust to make everyone a happy viewer - for the kids, it’s a rollicking adventure yarn with lots of lessons and takeaways, while the adults will get nostalgic, remembering what in their young lives, was their Vespa.