There may not be a film more needed right now than “Soul,” a cinematic salve for tough times that also happens to be moving, observant, spiritual, occasionally subversively funny and wonderfully musical. That it also happens to be Pixar’s first effort built around African American culture — jazz specifically — makes it even more unique.
When viewers first meet Joe (voiced by Jamie Foxx), he’s a part-time, middle-aged teacher trying to coax something resembling rhythm from a middle-school music class to little avail. The pianist’s long-held dream of making a living as a jazz musician is fading faster than his class’s flagging interest. His mother, Libba (Phylicia Rashad), just wants him to find a job with health insurance and a pension.
Then Curley (Questlove), a former student and now a drummer with the respected Dorothea Williams Band, calls Joe out of the blue with an offer: Dorothea (Angela Bassett) needs a pianist and could he sit in with them at an upcoming gig at the legendary Half Note? It appears that Joe’s ship has finally come in.
But, before he can realize his wish, a mishap on a New York street sends Joe into the afterlife. In his quest to scramble back to Earth to enter his body, he — or, rather, his soul — is assigned to mentor an unborn soul, simply named 22 (Tina Fey), who for millennia has defied the universe by refusing to take up residence in a human body. 22 has tested the patience of such prior mentors as Muhammad Ali, Carl Jung, Copernicus and even Mother Teresa.
Rated PG: For thematic elements and some language
Running time: 100 minutes
Where: Begins streaming Dec. 25 on Disney+
***** (out of 5)
“You can’t crush a soul here,” 22 exclaims at one point. “That’s what life on Earth is for.”
This odd couple’s journey in search of purpose and passion is at the heart of “Soul,” a film that ranks with some of the company’s most inventive works including “Up,” “Coco” and the “Toy Story” franchise. Co-directed by Pete Docter (“Monsters, Inc.,” “Up,” “Inside Out”) and Kemp Powers (who wrote Regina King’s upcoming directorial debut, “One Night in Miami”) and based on a script by Docter, Powers and San Antonio’s Mike Jones, “Soul” is full of clever surprises.
Take, for example, the scene where the unborn souls are being implanted with their personalities. They range from “aloof” and “excitable” to “manipulative megalomaniac who’s intensely opportunistic.” For some reason, Terry (New Zealand actress Rachel House), one of the super-beings in the afterlife who’s in charge of counting all the souls, has an antipodean accent, lending a sly counterpoint to the more neutral and heavenly tones of the ruling Jerrys in the realm (Alice Braga, Richard Ayoade).
Then, of course, there’s the music. In addition to the sometimes haunting score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, the jazz compositions from pianist Jonathan Batiste (musical director on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and creative director of Harlem’s National Jazz Museum) feel authentic, not like Hollywood replicas. (Herbie Hancock also worked with the filmmakers as an adviser).
It’s unfortunate though that “Soul,” which is only available on the Disney+ streaming service starting Dec. 25, can’t be seen in a theater. (Originally, it was meant to be released theatrically in June — Juneteenth to be exact — and then November but the pandemic scuttled those plans.) While not as lushly colorful as “Coco,” it definitely deserves to be viewed on a big screen.
Still, “Soul” is a sublime and, yes, soulful Christmas present.
cary.darling@chron.com
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December 21, 2020 at 08:25PM
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Review: Sublime ‘Soul’ one of the year’s best films - Houston Chronicle
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