Turning Red Review: A near masterpiece for Pixar with some growing pains

Pixar’s newest film, Turning Red, is another strong entry in the animation studio’s pantheon of great films. Like some of the studio’s best films, Turning Red takes an emotional life stage and turns it into an uplifting, beautifully animated story.

Turning Red centers around a 13-year-old girl Meilin who suddenly discovers the terrible pangs of puberty. Since this is a Pixar film, that transformative period is taken in a literal fashion. Meilin turns into a big red panda.

Meilin also must deal with the push and pull between friends and her overbearing mom. She tries to keep the panda in at first. However, instead of enduring ridicule from classmates, she’s embraced by them. The sudden change in the social hierarchy leads to Meilin and her friends using the red panda transformation. They need money for tickets to see their favorite band.

Rosalie Chiang and Sandra Oh make for a fantastic mother-daughter duo. Turning Red does a great job of showing the struggle between obeying your parents and trying to carve out your own identity. My only issue with the relationship is Meilin’s mother, Ming, is too cartoonish in how she embarrasses Meilin. She even shows up with tampons to Meilin’s school in full view of the other students.

The ending of Turning Red lacks consequences that are an important staple of Pixar’s best films. For instance, Bing Bong disappearing in Inside Out means Riley will forget her imaginary friend from this point forward. Turning Red sets up an interesting dilemma. Meilin could become a panda permanently or she can keep it locked away by going through a ritual. Turning Red abandons that quandary for a best of both worlds approach.

While not perfect, there’s so much to love about the film. Ludwig Göransson‘s score is fantastic and a far cry from his remarkable Star Wars themes. The relatable story of scheming to earn money for something trivial that at the time, seems like the most important thing in the world is great. Similar to how New York was beautifully realized in Soul, setting this film in Toronto gives the film a unique look that’s crucial to the story.

With the overview out of the way, let’s dive deeper into the elements that stood out in Pixar’s latest film. There may be some minor spoilers. Turning Red is currently streaming on Disney Plus.

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The Dilemma in Turning Red

Turning Red sets up a wonderful premise, which is executed well in the 1st and 2nd acts. Unfortunately, the film walks back on the dilemma.

Meilin turns into a red panda when her emotions are heightened. If the transformation happens too many times before a specific date, she risks becoming the red panda forever. Meilin’s already dealing with the normal stress puberty creates. Turning Red adds fear to those emotions. Fear of transforming into a red panda.

If she can make it to the ceremony, she can seal the panda away for good. There are clear benefits to becoming a Panda. Her classmates recognize Meilin. To other people outside of Meilin’s immediate circle, there’s something special about Meilin they literally and figuratively couldn’t see before. They generally embrace her.

The film takes back the dilemma of choosing between panda powers or getting rid of them. Turning Red goes with an ending that gives her the best of both worlds. A small gripe in an otherwise stellar story.

Family Drama

Meilin loves her mom. She works to earn her mom’s respect in everything she does. Good grades, helping at her family’s temple and watching a reality tv show with her mom are just some of the things Mailin does with her mom.

Now Meilin is a teenager. She has a group of friends who love her and have her back but are different from Ming’s expectations. Her mom knows nothing about Meilin’s love of a boy band. When pressed, Meilin denies her fandom.

Turning Red makes it difficult to side with Ming. Her actions throughout the film are embarrassing. She’s beyond the bounds of other characters in the film.

Turning Red does do a good job of showing why Ming acts the way she does by showing the relationship Ming has with her own mother. Despite the issue with the Ming,

Band on the Run

Perhaps my favorite story in the film. Meilin and her friends spend the bulk of the film trying to raise money to see their favorite boy band.

Under Meilin’s suggestion, the group decides to use her red panda transformation to earn money. She shows up at parties and pockets the cash as she counts down to date the performance which coincides with the date of her ceremony.

I love Turning Red‘s depiction of friendship. When Meilin turns into the red panda, they’re shocked for sure, but embrace Meilin. When she messes up, they also hold her accountable, which is what great friends do in life.

Turning Red Final Thoughts

Turning Red, Inside Out and Soul take interesting looks at seminal moments in life. Inside Out and Soul have more emotional complexity, but Turning Red is a fantastic, much-needed story.

Meilin is a wonderful character full of quirky energy. She is uncomfortable in her own skin, which makes her a relatable character for anyone whose gone through the awkward teen years. If the 3rd act had come together just a bit, Turning Red would be another masterpiece for Pixar.

As is, Turning Red is still a fantastic debut for director Domee Shi. I can’t wait to see what her next film looks like.