“Turning Red” Review
Mei Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chaing) must contend with the fact that she can transform into a giant red panda in “Turning Red,” the latest film from Pixar which is now available on Disney+.
What can I say about Pixar Animation Studios that hasn’t already been said? Probably nothing. They are amazing. They turn out incredible animated films that cater to both children and adults by having realism in their stories and creativity in the way they tell them. In the past couple of years, Pixar has really upped its game with the release of films like “Soul,” “Luca” and, now available on Disney+, “Turning Red.” “Turning Red” is an amazing film that is funny, charming and consistently made me smile the entire time.
Set in 2002 Toronto, Meilin “Mei” Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chaing) is a young, academically gifted 13-year-old who is obsessed with maintaining good grades and making her parents proud while also being infatuated with boys, particularly a boy band named 4*Town (which is ironically made up of five boys). One day, Mei wakes up and discovers that she’s become a gigantic red panda and can turn back into a girl when she remains calm.
It turns out that every woman in the family has gone through this and Mei must go through a family ritual to conceal the panda forever. However, the strength it gives her makes Mei question whether or not she should be rid of the panda. Alongside her best friends, Mei tries to make a decision while also going through the all-too-familiar hurdles of being a teenager.
What I love about this film is what I love about most Pixar films: there’s always an identifiable conflict that has an element that is blown out of proportion. In the case of “Turning Red,” it’s a conflict between Mei and her overbearing mother (voiced by Sandra Oh) as Mei tries to find her own path as a young woman. There just happens to be a red panda involved.
What makes this conflict work is what made the conflict in “Encanto” so good: there’s no bad guy. I like that Pixar is taking such mature strides in their storytelling while also being entertaining. It shows intelligence and respect towards their audience which is mainly families.
Speaking of intelligence, director and co-writer Domee Shi, who also made the animated short “Bao,” tells a very compelling story. I think for the adults in the room, especially if they’re female, it’s going to be obvious that the red panda is a metaphor for menstruation. I think that this is a brilliant way to tell this kind of story because it’s normalizing something that is already normal but discouraged from conversation.
Mei’s friends are not only supportive of their friend, but also provide a lot of levity through great humor.
This is an empowering story for young girls and women and it comes from a place of genuine heart. However, I think that men will also enjoy this film because of how well-written and charming it is. I think that this film will have a similar effect that Judy Blume’s novel “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret” had. In fact, the novel is getting a theatrical adaptation and it’s being released later this year.
The film’s characters are unbelievably lovable and funny. Mei is the perfect protagonist for children to root for. She works hard but is also flawed and realistic. She’s expressive and the animation for her is the perfect balance of energized and dramatic. When she’s a red panda, it’s an adorable sight. If you thought that giant pandas were cute, wait until you see this film.
As for Mei’s friends, they are some of the best supporting characters I’ve seen in an animated film. You have the energized Abby (voiced by Hyein Park) , the deadpanned Priya ( voiced by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) and music-loving Miriam (voiced by Ava Morse) who all provide different kinds of humor and support for Mei.
“Turning Red” also boasts some pretty good songs that you’ll probably have stuck in your head for a while, all of which are written by Billie Eillish and Finneas O’Connell. Not only are they insanely catchy but they also pair quite nicely with Ludwig Göransson’s score. They also tie well into the story because they’re all songs from the band 4*Town that Mei and her friends are obsessed with.
What I’ve noticed in the past decade is that, ever since “Princess and the Frog,” Disney and Pixar films have been trying more and more to show diversity in where they tell their stories and it’s working quite well. “Luca’s” depiction of Italy is gorgeous and so is the way “Coco” portrays Mexico. “Raya and the Last Dragon” was an amazing look of Southeast Asian mythology and now “Turning Red” goes to the Great White North to tell the story of a Chinese-Canadian teenager.
“Turning Red” is the best kind of film: original and personal. It says something new and does so with a great amount of humor and drama. It’s a wonderful film to experience and my only regret is that it was released straight to Disney+ instead of a theater.
