SOUL

US, 2020, 100 minutes, Colour.

Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Rachel House, Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade, Phylicia Rashad, Questlove, Angela Bassett, Daveed Diggs, Wes Studi.

Directed by Pete Docter, Kemp Powers.

This comment has been made many times over the last quarter of a century, Pixar has done it again. Once again, the company has won the Oscar for Best Animated Film.

It is a Pixar entertainment with a difference, not so much geared to children’s audience (not like their Toy Story series), nor to a family audience. The audience which will enjoy and appreciate Soul most is the adult audience.

Of course, all has many meanings. Music-lovers will be immediately focusing on soul and jazz. Audiences with a religious perspective will be thinking about humans as body and soul, the nature of death, the soul leaving the body, the destination of the soul. And, it is a compliment when we say someone as empathy, a sympathetic soul.

All three meanings are relevant provide a great deal of enjoyment, and a great deal for reflection.

Joe Gardner is a music teacher in New York City, his father a musician whom he admired, his mother wondering about what he is making of his life. We see (and hear) him with his school class, quite a cacophonous band. Joe is African-American, and voiced by Jamie Foxx, as are most of the characters in Soul. Fortunately, a grateful past student gets him an audition at the club with the star, Dorothea (Angela Bassett). Joe is overjoyed, careless in traffic, suddenly at the bottom of a manhole, dead.

In fact, most of the film’s action takes place beyond this world, Joe initially finding himself on a staircase to heaven, steps to the Great Beyond. Which is not where he wants to go at all. Were he able to phrase it he would say he was keen on resuscitation! Well, there are the authorities in the beyond, often depicted in line drawings, some of them just two-dimensional with Picasso-shapes, the guides, the literal been-counter as to how many souls are on their way to the Great Beyond.

But, tantalisingly, there is also the Great Before, souls who are getting ready to go to Earth, finding that in the talent, leaping down into life. But, we also have a central character, 22. She on the other hand is reluctant to go to earth, has been very skilful in avoiding it. She is voiced by Tina fey. Joe in 22 strike up an acquaintance and that is part of the delight of the film, their interactions, verbal sparring, 22 and her unwillingness to go to earth, Joe eager to get back.

And, there is much more to entertain, the two of them actually getting back to New York City, using that humorous device of vice versa. 22, in Joe’s form, discovers all kinds of wonders in New York, including pizza. Joe, in the form of a neighbour’s dog, becomes very awkward, desperately steering 22 in the direction of home and the club.

And, indeed, there is still much more so, if this description/review is enticing, then the recommendation is: be enticed, you won’t regret it.

1. The tradition of Pixar’s Studios? Oscar winner?
2. The impact of the animation, the drawing of the characters, New York city, homes, school, the club? The contrast with the world beyond? Landscapes, desert, seas, stairway to the Beyond?
3. The characters and style, African- American, the portrait of Joe, tall and gangly, friendly? His mother and the family? The music school? The students? The streets? The contrast with the other world, the variety of shapes the characters, the Picasso style characters, the line drawings?
4. The range of voices?
5. The score, the jazz, performance, jazz and Soul as a theme of the film?
6. The title, music, jazz, music as the expression of the inner person? Joe Gardner, his life and his own soul?
7. Joe’s story, his life, memories father, love of music, his mother? His ambitions, teaching? The students in their performance? Noise? The young girl, her music and talent? The principal and his getting tenure of job? The prospects for his life?
8. His friend, the phone call, the invitation to audition, going to the club, Dorothea, her performance, the demands? The rehearsal, his being accepted, his hopes?
9. Joe hurrying in the street, the traffic, oblivious, the manhole, his falling down, death? His transferring into the Limbo/Purgatory atmosphere? On the line for going to The Beyond? His not accepting his death, his rebellion, the encounter with the various Souls, audience response to this image of the end-of-life?
10. Audience response to the story of the Beginnings of Life? Souls ready, finding their purpose, the visuals of their world? 22, her voice, not wanting to go to earth, avoiding? The encounter with Joe? The various leaps – and failure?
11. The characters staffing the other world, their appearances, voices (and the touch of the British)? The counter with his abacus, making a mistake? Joe’s reprieve?
12. Joe, the opportunity to return to Earth, with 22? 22 and her character, reluctance? The mixup, her inhabiting Joe’s body? Joe in the dog? The return to New York, the range of examples, 22 experiencing the city, the young girl playing the music on the staircase, tasting pizza, the various earth experiences, Joe’s mother, the issue of the suit? The effect on 22?
13. Joe, in the dog, the limited experiences, trying to control 22, the comic touches? 22 and her escape?
14. The captain of the ship, with the placard on the street? Joe’s return, 22 lost in the desert, changing shape, depressed? Going to the rescue, the sinking of the ship?
15. The dog, the owner glad to have her dog back?
16. Joe, the discussions about his life, the possibility of another chance, a resuscitation? Joe, the date, the clothes, his instrument? Going to the club? Dorothea’s reaction? His being allowed to play? The great success? His mother and friends there? But…?
17. Joe, reassessing his life? Offering himself so that 22 can have a chance? Joe and his new life, appreciating every moment?
18. The theme of Soul, Souls, and Soul music, the value of life?