Branding cuts both ways: you’ve come to expect a certain product from Pixar animation, something Disney produced. You might not even be able to articulate what that certain thing is, but some people have found it missing in ‘Luca’, a sweet-natured story with a gentle message about tolerance.
And I say: “So what?” PIxar is under no obligation to follow a formula, other than to tell a good story with heart, if no panache. ‘Luca’ has heart.
Set in an Italian seaside town in the 1950s, Luca is a sea monster. A cute one, but, yeah, a creature from the deep. Curious about what happens on dry land, his interest has been piqued by growing up near fishing boats and catching glimpses of the humans, Luca comes ashore. This is not going to sit well with his worrying parents (Maya Rudoplj and Jim Gaffigan are both instantly recognizable, and that’s a good thing) who have warned him never to go there.
To his surprise, once he’s dry, he turns into a human, himself! As Forrest Gump said, ‘Imagine that, magic lags (yes, he said “lags’).
But I digress.
Now as a human, Luca and his new friend Alberto, a slightly older sea monster who already has experience as a “real boy” on terra firma, have a summer of bonding and outdoor fun. When Luca sees a poster featuring a Vespa scooter on the wall of Alberto’s hideout, he becomes smitten with the brought red scooter and the two vow to find one, or make one, if they have to.
There is a twist, though. If the boys get any water on them – even a splash from a city fountain on the town square, they turn back to monsters.
That would so not be cool for the townsfolk who don’t take kindly to such creatures. So, um–yeah, that’s definitely going to come up at some prime moments in the narrative.
Meeting up with a local girl, the three decide to enter a race that will take all three of them to win, if they want a Vespa.
So, I won’t talk too much more plot, but I will note that the story is fairly simple and straightforward which, I think, means it is trying to include a younger audience than many other Pixar films. I also think the animation was intentionally stylized to appeal to younger tykes. The monsters aren’t scary, the heads of most characters are round with round button noses. All of these seem to be nods to having a bigger tent.
As far as the message, there are actually a couple: there’s the idea that we should be accepting of people/things that don’t necessarily look like us or act like us, but there’s also a nice nudge about friendship and loyalty.
Jacob Tremblay as Luca and Jack Dylan Grazer as Alberto have a nice repore as actors and their characters’ friendship has some touching moments, including one that might make your eyes water.
It’s probably true that ‘Luca” won’t make the Top 10 Pixar Films list today or in the future, but it has its own vibe and warmth and if you forget the brand and watch it as art and entertainment, I think you’ll be charmed by it,
Luca is streaming on Disney+ at no extra premium fee – just the normal membership.
3 out of 4 stars| 90 minutes| Reviewed by Kyle Osborne
