Pixar has been rolling out consistent movies, with three out in just over a year. They are now releasing their 24th feature film in theaters and on Disney+.
Luca (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) is a young sea monster living off the coast of a small Italian village that has a long history of fearing and hating sea monsters. With an unquenchable sense of exploration, he is shown by his new friend Alberto (Jack Dylan Grazer) that he has the ability to become human when dry. Together, these two new friends create big dreams of exploring the rest of the planet by Vespa. Their goals and plans change when they meet local Giulia (voiced by Emma Berman) and she recruits them for a local race.
Luca is directed by Enrico Casarosa, who also directed the memorable Pixar short “La Luna.” The similarities between the projects, most notably with character appearance, are clear and unique for a Pixar feature. The characters in Luca look very similar to the look of Aardman Animations characters (Wallace and Gromit, Shaun the Sheep). It’s a very unique look for Pixar animation and helps the fantastical elements of the plot.
The visuals throughout are colorful and vibrant. The Italian seaside town is a beautifully animated backdrop for this story of summer friendships and the small adventures that children create. This movie made me wish that I was fortunate enough to spend a summer playing on the narrow and steep streets of Portorosso, being able to swim or fish at my leisure, and being surrounded by an incredible amount of delicious pasta.
The general feel of Luca is simplicity. It doesn’t attempt to overcomplicate the plot by adding themes that only adults can appreciate in retrospect. It knows what it is and tells a straight-forward story about having big dreams and creating life-long friendships in a time of naive bliss. It thankfully doesn’t try to be Soul and find an important message in a grab-bag of themes.
The emphasis on the experience focuses on being light-hearted. The jokes are breezy and will play well on repeat viewings. The runtime is 95 minutes and goes by rather quickly. The characters aren’t necessarily deep. Their motivations are relevant to the age group intended and appropriately childish. The stakes and villain aren’t all that intense. Essentially, this is a nice and breezy experience.
The turn of the story is where Luca finds its weakness. The overly long plot of the training and eventual triathlon (biking, swimming, eating) feels like it belongs in a weaker sequel. It deviates from the original concept and feels like it was added to fill time.
Luca is a sweet movie that doesn’t condescend to a younger audience or try to be “for everyone.” It is a light-hearted and entertaining flick for kids and the kids inside us that miss the innocence of the summers of our youth. The animation stands out, while the story definitely doesn’t. It may not be among Pixar’s greatest films, but it’s definitely worth catching on streaming. B-
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