Review: Soul

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Joe (Jamie Foxx) is a middle school band teacher who has dreamed of being a jazz musician all his life. When he finally gets the gig of his life, he falls through a sewer hole and comes to on his way to the great beyond. Not ready to meet his fate, he ends up in the "great before" where he becomes a mentor to a new soul, 22 (Tina Fey) while trying to get back to Earth.

It's impossible for me not to compare this to Inside Out. Thematically, they feel very similar. I strongly disliked Inside Out. I thought it failed on so many different levels, but my main gripes were that the middle of the film was meandering and boring, and that they struggled with trying to gear it towards children when they clearly wanted to be talking to the adults. Soul doesn't even bother with the kids. They throw in a couple of butt jokes but they are very clearly talking to the grown ups here, and because they don't have that weird, condescending disconnect, it works.

Soul for me succeeded in every way Inside Out failed. The story was engaging through out, when they had to cut away from the main story to include the side characters, it was brief and to the point. I liked the various styles of animation they used as well.

Jamie Foxx is great, as was Tina Fey. I felt for their characters. They balanced the comedy and the heaviness of this film well. Of course it made me bawl like a baby at the end.

While it doesn't unseat Wolfwalkers as my favorite animated film of the year, Soul is definitely worth seeing.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B

Memorable Quote: "I was born to play. It's my reason for living." - Joe (Jamie Foxx)

Comments

  1. Cinematic DelightsDecember 29, 2020 at 8:05 AM

    Ah, we feel quite differently about Inside Out, Brittani! I enjoyed Soul, especially the clever writing and funny supporting voice cast, but it's Inside Out that has me bawling, not Soul. Still worth a watch though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamDecember 29, 2020 at 7:55 PM

      Everyone likes Inside Out lol. I wanted to like it like everyone else did.

      Delete
  2. GetterDecember 29, 2020 at 3:52 PM

    I'm very excited to see Wolfwalkers. I wasn't a huge fan of this but I still liked it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. thevoid99December 29, 2020 at 6:57 PM

    I do hope to see this in a few days in the New Year as I really want to hear what NIN does with the score.

    ReplyDelete
  4. SJHoneywellDecember 30, 2020 at 10:36 AM

    I found this okay, but I had real issues with the philosophy of this one.

    Like you, I liked Inside Out a lot less than everyone else--the two do feel like companion pieces.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamDecember 31, 2020 at 5:26 PM

      After reading your review I actually agree with you on the philosophical side, I didn't consider it the way you did and it makes sense.

      Delete
  5. Chris WiddopJanuary 1, 2021 at 2:53 AM

    lol, your take on both this and Inside Out is about as opposite from mine as may be possible. X)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 1, 2021 at 7:10 AM

      I'm used to being on the opposite side for Inside Out lol

      Delete
  6. Often Off TopicJanuary 4, 2021 at 2:47 AM

    I forgot you didn't like Inside Out! Glad you loved Soul though, they definitely go together well. I didn't love Soul like I loved Inside Out but it's still a fantastic movie <3

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sonia CercaJanuary 12, 2021 at 9:09 AM

    I loved this and I thought I'd be my favourite of the year but then I watched Wolfwalkers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Brittani BurnhamJanuary 12, 2021 at 2:44 PM

      Yay! I lean towards Wolfwalkers too, but they're both great films.

      Delete

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