(Wikimedia Commons)

 

Director Pete Docter of Pixar’s Soul once again proves his ability to make a classic out of a seemingly childish movie.

 

The story revolves around Joe Gardner, a middle school band teacher voiced by Jamie Foxx. Joe, a life-long Jazz musician, wants nothing more than to play on stage and make music that mattered. Joe, however, dies before his first performance. Accompanied by 22, a “soul,” voiced by Tina Fey accompanies Joe on his journey to get back to his body so he can complete his lifelong dream.

 

The conversations between 22 and Joe is show how the characters are  opposites: one, a dead artist who wants nothing more than to be alive again, the other a disembodied soul who wants to live forever as a soul. Their complex dialogue gives a deeper meaning to what seems like a typical story.

 

As a children’s movie, some of the jokes fall flat, and sometimes the story is predictable, but it’s deep message and intellectual plot makes it worth watching.

 

Released on Disney+ on December 25, 2020, Soul is rated PG and has a runtime of 1 hour and 47 minutes.