The second of Pixar's films to be streamlined straight to Disney+ as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Luca is a tour de force of animation and storytelling that proves once again why Pixar holds its place in the hearts of millions.
Almost a decade following his Academy-award nominated animated short, La luna (2012), Luca marks the feature directorial debut for Italian storyboard artist and filmmaker Enrico Casarosa. In the months leading up to Luca's release, Casarosa's Twitter presence has been a joyous one, opening up a space where he has documented the final touches of Luca's socially-distanced post-production, and shared praises for the animators and various contributing talents who worked on the film. It has indeed been a tender experience to hear some of the details of how the cast of creatives behind Luca managed to complete the film under such unprecedented circumstances. It is a story worth its own documentary series, similar to that of Disney's Into the Unknown: Making Frozen 2 (2020), and it will be interesting to see any sort of behind-the-scenes footage of the production process shall later be made available [beyond the sprinkles already shown in Disney+'s Inside Pixar (2020) mini-series].
At its very heart, Luca is a tale of friendship and acceptance, born of the real-life relationship between Casarosa and his childhood friend Alberto Surace. Much like how Pixar's fantasy road movie Onward (2020) was a love letter to writer-director Dan Scanlon's brother, Enrico Casarosa's deeply personal connection to the story is what truly allows Luca to shine.
The vibrant and romantic world of Luca's Portorosso radiates pure nostalgia, even for those who have never experienced the quiet Italian coastline for themselves. The never-quite-defined 1950s/60s setting is intrinsically whimsical, and richly detailed in a way that feels like its sprung right off the page of a postcard. Attention not only to culture, but the very bones of a place is nothing new for Pixar, and is indeed one of the studio's strongest facets. Luca's unique animation style further strengthens the film's storybook-like quality. Unlike the notably more hyper-realistic characters and settings of Soul (2020) and Toy Story 4 (2019), Luca's exaggerated character features and vibrant colour palettes feel significantly more dream-like and whimsical in nature.
Beyond Casarosa's personal influences, Luca's setting and style is an obvious ode to the work of Studio Ghibli legend, Hayao Miyazaki, whose fantastical stories often draw upon the innocence of childhood and European fairytale worlds. Luca's easy pace and short runtime compliment its slice-of-life nature, its stakes never too grand that they become over-baring, with focus always maintained on the emotional journey of Luca, Alberto, and their human friend Giulia; again, much like the works of Miyazaki. Some critics have rated Luca's simplistic narrative unfavourably, contrasting it to some of the more psychologically complex Pixar works of Pete Doctor [Soul and Inside Out (2015)]. Yet it is this very gentle nature which allows Luca to thrive. To overpower Luca and Alberto's exploration of friendship and community would have taken away from the very message of the film. Luca's ocean home is inherently unfantastical because it has little to offer our protagonist. Despite his mythical nature, Luca is very much suppressed by the lifestyle of his fellow sea monsters, its barren ocean and monotonous harvesting. Contrastingly, he and Alberto both find wonder in the seemingly most insignificant and overlooked of human endeavours: eating, riding a bike [or Vespa], stargazing, or going to school.
Threatening Luca's trio of Underdogs is town bully and Portorosso Cup champion, Ercole Visconti, a brilliant addition to Pixar's line-up of antagonists. The studio's villains have long made a name for themselves as figures who- unlike that of Walt Disney Animation's classic Bad Guys- pose not only as physical threats to the heroes' endeavours, but also a force by which protagonists are able to question their own intrinsic character flaws. Elevated by Italian comedian Saverio Raimondo's fantastic voice performance, Ercole cements himself as one of Pixar's strongest and genuinely malicious antagonists, in spite of being little more than a small-town teenage brat.
Further character praise must also be given to human girl Giulia, who steals every scene she is in with her kind heart and honest pre-teen awkwardness. And while Pixar has been criticised in the past for its disproportionate number of male leads, the strength of Giulia's character reflects the positive strides the studio has been making in recent years; spearheaded by script supervisor Jessica Heidt's imperative work on gender balance within Pixar's filmography.
Above all others however, the construction of Luca's lead male characters has been the subject of much fan and critic conversation. While a canonical queer narrative has been denied by Casarosa, many have read the relationship between Luca and Alberto as intrinsically romantic, and their narrative journey metaphorical for the experiences of many young queer people. However, while the experiences of prejudice that Luca and Alberto face and their eventual acceptance into a supportive community can definitely be read as an LGBTQ+ allegory- and it is great to see many people emotionally resonating to Luca in such a way- this is by no means the only worthwhile reading of the film. Otherness is not something exclusive to queerness, and can encapsulate anyone who has ever felt out of place. Difference in Luca and themes of finding a supportive space or community resonates with all sorts of people: those LGBTQ+, ethnic minorities, disabled or neurodivergent persons, migrants and asylum seekers, or even anyone who has just felt alone and in need of a friend.
Audiences are obviously welcome to interpret Luca and its narrative messages in a way they see fit and connect to; that is what allegory is for after all. Yet, Pixar films are so beloved because they can be related to by all. They offer audiences something unique and personal for themselves, messages which help us navigate life and the trials and tribulations we all face. As such, one only hopes that the duality and universal nature of Luca and Alberto's journey does not become overshadowed by one sole reading of the film.
Overall, it does not feel too bold or too early to affirm that Luca is the film of the summer. Its comedy is as constant as its heart, and is bound to cause as many belly-laughs as it its tears amongst audiences [even well into the credits, which should not be missed!]. Composer Dan Romer's score, combined with a fantastical array of pre-existing Italian songs, only helps to elevate Luca's abundance of pure wonder. It is a treat for the eyes as much as it is the soul, and while it may be short and sweet, Luca is undeniably one of Pixar's strongest films of recent years.
As of June 18th 2021, Luca is available to stream on Disney+ to anyone with a subscription.
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