Movie Review: “Turning Red”

There must be some way to properly graph when certain aspects of art become too specific that it’s granular and off-putting versus when such specificity ends up making the work more accessible. However, many films have found that by leaning on the specifics of personal experiences and cultural backgrounds, they become more universal. Pixar’s “Turning Red,” from co-writer/director Domee Shi, uses a lot of the particular identifiers of early 2000s Toronto alongside Chinese-Canadian family dynamics to ground a magical realism story while also deftly exploring the weird world of growing up and the relationships between mothers and daughters. Aided by impressive animation, it’s a well-made film that occasionally adheres too closely to overly familiar structures and tropes.

Meilin “Mei” Lee (Rosalie Chiang) is a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl who is torn between two identities. On the one hand, she’s an outgoing, boy band-loving schoolgirl with a terrific friend group that enjoys having fun. On the other hand, and usually the one that wins out in terms of after-school activities, Mei is tasked with meeting the expectations of her mother, Ming (Sandra Oh). The matriarch makes it her mission to ensure Mei doesn’t stray far from her responsibilities or get distracted by crushes, her friends or anything else that could lead the young woman away from her devotion and duties to the family. Despite such heavy investment in family, Ming doesn’t inform Mei that every woman in their family hits an age where they turn into giant red pandas whenever emotions (particularly stress, sadness and anger) get the better of them. Luckily, there’s a ritual that can contain the panda forever, but it’s a month away, and until then, Mei will have to do her best to keep her transformations to a minimum. That is until she starts finding a new lease on life with her friends when she assumes the massive fluffy form.

Something that stands out early on in “Turning Red” is the detail paid not only to Pixar’s always exemplary animation but also the setting and characters themselves. This isn’t simply a film that takes place in “present day” but is very much set in Toronto in the early 2000s. The technology, terminology and fads of that time are therefore slightly different than now in a way that isn’t jarring but is easily noticeable. Similarly, the family dynamic isn’t some alien concept, but the specificity of this Chinese-Canadian family with their own ideas of propriety, piety and achievements (along with cultural trappings like food, decorations and routines) most likely reflects the experiences of Shi and co-writer Julia Cho. It’s not one that’s often explored in Western movies, so it’s nice to see it on the screen, and it also acts as a way of seeing oneself in the story even if the exact details are not the same for every viewer.

While it focuses on Chinese immigrant culture, “Turning Red” reveals influences from all kinds of sources. The kidney bean mouths in the characters’ massive emoting are reminiscent of slice-of-life anime and manga series that center on mundane subject matter told in over-the-top ways (see also: Bryan Lee O’Malley’s “Scott Pilgrim” series), and the playful blending of exuberant fantasy with grounded surroundings and locations is very reminiscent of work like “Gravity Falls.” This amalgam of stylistic influences, along with tones from familiar staples of fantasy stories, puberty parables and teenage adventures, is like a fine recipe where each element complements the others perfectly. Though “Turning Red” has similar parts to its story, it remains a unique blend that is charming, funny, touching and wondrous. It’s basically an incredible remix that produces something along the lines of “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Teen Wolf.”

The story isn’t just a well-worn blending of previous tales and real-life situations — it’s also overly familiar in its structure and shape. More media-savvy viewers will quickly suss out where everything is going once the transformations begin (though there are a few surprises along the way) and will easily anticipate when different story beats will occur. This is mainly a detriment to viewers who have seen or read a lot of other stories, which should be mostly adults and not the (much younger) target audience.

The other hindrance to “Turning Red” initially presents itself as a nice change from the usual morality about accepting change and growing up but is quickly revealed to be a muddled message underneath. As it’s clear that the Red Panda is tied to messy emotions (anxiety, depression, anger, lustfulness, etc.), there’s a nice segment where Mei is encouraged to embrace this part of her, even if it doesn’t require a transmogrification to do so. This is an inherently good message about understanding that everyone has these feelings and issues, and that it’s what makes people whole, even if they can be awkward or unfortunate. However, the film moves past the acceptance of such messiness into the indulgence in it; it’s one thing to recognize the tendency towards depression or rage but quite another to revel in those mental states and not see them as harmful. Even when the film points out how literally destructive these impulses can be, “Turning Red” still has messaging that such tendencies should be given into completely. It’s a lack of a cohesive point or, at the very least, a lack of acknowledging the dichotomy that makes the landing rockier than it should’ve been.

Minor issues aside, “Turning Red” is a potent and infectious film that addresses situations rarely discussed in movies, especially those aimed at younger audiences. Growing up with two sisters (and as the only boy child in my extended family), it was evident that there’s a very specific relationship dynamic between mothers and daughters — one fraught with tension but also deep care and empathy. (Seeing this same situation play out with my female friends and their mothers over the years suggests it’s an issue that occurs far beyond my family. That uniquely charged relationship, combined with the powder kegs of puberty and certain cultural and intergenerational pressures, suggests a very specific story but unfolds as an experience with which most people can identify.

Though some of the narrative lacks suitable sophistication and clarity, Domee Shi and company have made a singular film that employs impressive visual work and a kinetic storytelling spirit to create an engaging tale. Anchoring Mei’s story in a specific time and place, with specific family and friend dynamics, opens up “Turning Red” into something grander that applies to a wider audience whose lives may look different but who still see themselves in the experiences at the heart of the movie.