Pixar Studio’s latest foray into the philosophical genre gave us Soul. It is a wonderfully creative and imaginative animated movie about a musician who dramatically loses everything on the day all his dreams come true. Joe Gardner, voiced by Oscar award winner, Jamie Foxx, is a talented jazz musician who teaches music at a local school. His ultimate dream was to make a career out of music. Unfortunately, he was rejected wherever he auditioned and never got the support from his mother, who was his only family.
Joe Gardner was a simple man who followed a basic routine and never took any risks. He failed to realise that to live a happy life, one must first learn to enjoy the little things. He assumes that his life is without meaning if he does not become a successful musician. Later in the movie, he is taught to appreciate the simple things, ironically, by an “unborn soul.”
Pixar’s decision to work on movies that have a direct correlation with real life is a very smart move. Soul caters to a very large audience as it depicts the life of a struggling musician and teaches one to enjoy the smaller things in life.
The beginning of the movie showcases Joe’s passion for music and his mother’s (voiced by Phylicia Rashad, well known for her role as Clair Huxtable on the NBC sitcom, The Cosby Show) inability to accept Joe for who he is. Rather, she is elated when Joe tells her he has been offered a staff job as a music teacher at the local school. Joe is conflicted because the job would shackle him from following his dreams.
Later that day, Joe encounters an old student of his – Lamont Baker or “Curly”. He is fortunate enough to be playing the drums for the Dorothea Williams band. A jazz icon whom Joe is in completely awe of. Curly, knowing his past teacher’s talent and love of jazz, provided him with an opportunity of a lifetime by asking him to come audition for the band.
Dorothea is equally in awe of Joe’s ability and asks him to perform with the band. This was the moment he had been waiting for all his life. The day could not get any better for him.
But the universe had other plans.
The camera shifts to Joe having a jolly good time singing and walking but just as he narrowly avoids being hit by a car, he falls into a manhole. Joe falls into a coma. He is transported to an ethereal ramp which leads to a bright light.
The universe spoke.
He is now on the ramp to where souls disappear for eternity. He is in the Great Beyond. But he is not ready to die yet. Not when he has just received the opportunity of a lifetime.
He jumps into the abyss and falls through multiple psychedelic levels and eventually lands on The Great Before. This is where unborn souls are mentored before being sent to earth. Upon his arrival in The Great Before, he is greeted by a two-dimensional being simply known as Jerry.
Jerry assumes that Joe is one of the mentors for the unborn souls and gives him a tour of the land. Joe, knowing that he is not supposed to be there slyly takes the nametag of an acclaimed Swedish psychologist and pretends to be him.
Poor Joe can never catch a break. He is assigned to a mischievous and trouble-making soul called 22 (voiced by Emmy award winner, Tina Fey). The entire role of a mentor is to help an unborn soul find their “spark” which would then permit them to be sent down to earth.
Just to illustrate how extremely difficult Joe’s job would be – 22 has had multiple mentors consisting of renowned world leaders and none of them could help her find her spark. She creates havoc until they eventually give up mentoring her. This list included Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Abraham Lincoln, Muhammad Ali, Carl Jung and various others.
In typical Pixar fashion, the bond between Joe and 22 blossoms into an unlikely friendship.
With the help of Moonwind, (voiced by Graham Norton from The Graham Norton Show) they are both sent down to earth. Joe goes through an interesting phase when he gets back to Earth. He ends up in a cat’s body. His role as a cat gives the movie a comedic twist and also gives himself a different perspective on life as he observes 22 living in his body. For an unborn soul, she is very intuitive and seems to be getting the hang of living life on earth which changes her decision to stay in the Great Before.
Joe’s observation of 22’s way of living gives him a reason to look at life in an entirely new direction. He realizes that music is not his only reason for existing. His priorities have changed.
I enjoyed the movie thoroughly. 22’s spunky and fun-character brings the entire movie together. Her intelligence is beyond her “years” and her take on life, brief as it was, enlightens all of us to enjoy the little things and stop obsessing over temporary happiness