Soul (2020)

Director: Pete Docter, Kemp Powers
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton
Runtime: 100 minutes

Synopsis: A musician who has lost his passion for music is transported out of his body and must find his way back with the help of an infant soul learning about herself.

Verdict: Have you ever taken a bite out of a pizza slice and found the crust to be fresh and crusty but the toppings to be lacking in flavor? Because that's what watching "Soul" felt like. Borrowing some elements from 2015's "Inside Out", the film touches on heavy material by exploring themes such as the meaning of life. In it, we're introduced to Jamie Foxx's Joe Gardner, a jazz pianist struggling to reignite his love for music. An unfortunate incident detaches his spirit from his physical body and sends it to the Great Before, where he teams up with an unborn soul in the hopes of finding his way back to his earthly being in time for a career-defining gig. It's an ambitious concept to tackle, almost reminiscent of the one featured in the classic that is "It's a Wonderful Life", all of which was enhanced by one of Pixar's finest soundtracks as well as some gorgeous animation, especially in the scenes taking place in the astrophysical setting. However, all of it was brought down by its typical Pixaresque structure that by now feels oh so repetitive, to the point where they're starting to become one giant blur that only differ ever so slightly. The jokes are the same (though I liked that Knicks one), the obstacles are familiar, the journey has become devoid of any sense of true adventure, and the conclusion is starting to fail to hit as hard as they used to. A lot of people are labeling "Soul" as being the best Pixar had to offer in a while, and I tend to agree with that statement while recognizing that it's not that big of a compliment considering the studio's recent streak of mediocre entries. Families will find a lot of enjoyment in it, but I don't think that I'll be rushing to revisit it on my own any time soon.

FINAL GRADE: 7/10