Film Review: TURNING RED (2022): An Animated Tale of Family and Friendship with a Lot of Laughs

Turning Red Review

Turning Red (2022) Film Review, a movie directed by Domee Shi and starring Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Orion Lee, Tristan Allerick Chen, Lori Tann Chinn, Sherry Cola, James Hong, Jordan Fisher, Finneas O’Connell, Topher Ngo, Grayson Villanueva, Josh Levi and Sasha Roiz.

Disney/Pixar has delivered a true gem in the warm coming-of-age story, Turning Red. Domee Shi’s new movie is so imaginative that it will appeal equally to both children and adults just like the best Disney movies are able to. A film about the bond between a 13-year old girl and her friends may seem very familiar but the animated film, Turning Red, adds to the mix a red panda bear and a family secret that helps keep the movie fresh and unique. While Shi’s movie touches the heart in scenes towards the end, it is also hysterically funny in sections which makes the film shine brighter than most recent animated pictures have.

This movie is set in 2002 in Toronto at the height of the popularity of a musical group which consists of young males called 4*Town. We meet the 13-year-old Meilin (voiced by Rosalie Chiang) who is a straight “A” student with three very distinct young female friends named Miriam, Priya and Abby. These girls are fans of the popular boy band known as 4*Town and they want nothing more than to see the concert the musical group is about to put on in their town. Tickets are $200 a shot and the young ladies would like to get their hands on some tickets ASAP. Any similarities to NSYNC or Backstreet Boys are probably not purely coincidental.

Meilin is a little awkward but has high aspirations in life even though she has already resigned to working for her mom, Ming (the voice of Sandra Oh) as a tour guide at their local family temple business to help her parents out. One day, Meilin discovers her emotions get the best of her and she becomes a giant red panda bear as a result. She’s embarrassed but must learn how to control herself. She must refrain from getting too emotional so she can stay in her human form. This transformation she undergoes is no accident, however. There is a family secret that is revealed which is behind the metamorphosis. Meilin’s parents are “old school” but are about to learn that their daughter is very special and wants nothing more than to shine through her individuality whether she changes into a red bear when she gets angry or not.

There are many enjoyable and cute scenes throughout this clever and enjoyable film. One scene comes when the group of young female friends decides to pose for pictures to please young fans of the red panda Meilin changes into. This becomes a way for the friends to raise cash for the 4*Town concert which they need to attend in order to feel fulfillment in their lives. One barrier to their happiness is the fact that Meilin may not be able to make it to the concert because her mom is very strict even to the point of forbidding her daughter from attending the upcoming concert for personal reasons.

Viewers won’t be able to help keeping a smile on their faces as Meilin and her friends go through their paces having fun and being kids. Meilin’s friends embrace her changing into the panda as her form of expression and the young girls can’t wait to ultimately make it to the concert. They come together and bond as a result of sharing their friend’s gift with each other and their classmates. Of course, Ming’s rules and expectations for her daughter will become a barrier to Meilin fulfilling her dreams of attending the musical event with her besties.

Disney/Pixar has outdone themselves with remarkably colorful animation which is full of life and the script is jam packed with enough heart to make viewers feel truly invested in the characters in the movie. Out of the friends, I found Priya (voice of Maitreyi Ramakrishnan) the most unique of the group. She is animated a bit like Mirabel from Encanto and like that character, Priya is ordinary but has a distinct personality that shines remarkably well through the animation. While Miriam and Abby are also well conceived, they don’t stand out as much as Priya.

Turning Red focuses a lot on family tradition and the importance of both preserving it and accepting some changes in it as the times develop and the members of this particular family in the picture come to terms with what they really desire in life. Meilin wants to be happy and Ming would ultimately like to see her daughter happy even though it takes the whole plot of the movie being unveiled before the mother comes to that realization.

While you watch this absolutely delightful movie, keep a close eye on the attention to detail in the animation and you will revel in the film’s beautifully animated visuals and your heart may just be touched by the way the movie portrays the mother-daughter relationship. Turning Red is nothing less than one of Disney/Pixar’s most enjoyable films to date and is worth seeing for anyone who has ever had needs or wants that have defied a family member’s expectations. This film is about meeting half way and understanding the qualities that make people unique. It’s a good time with plenty of laughs sprinkled in alongside the important message the picture presents to the audience. It’s a winner.

Rating: 8.5/10

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