"Soul" Movie Review: How Pixar Grapples Purpose, the After Life, and Worth

COVID-19 has taken many things from us. Sporting events, packed pews, family gatherings, and every other thing that made life normal. But for me, the shutdowns, masks, and social distancing rules sent my movie frenzy into a spin. My family and I would routinely spend our Christmas breaks at the local theater, spending quality time together by spending way too much on popcorn, relaxed on the reclined seats saying nothing to each other for two, sometimes three hours. Millions of families and friend groups have done the same things for decades, but now, in the age of streaming, the new normal is packing your family into the living room to watch the most recent Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, or Disney+ film. 

This Christmas, I decided to bypass the standard family bonding time and instead sit in front of my TV in the dining room by myself to watch "Soul," Pixar's latest film. I'm usually one to read movie reviews, but since I'm doing the blogging thing now, it will be yours truly doing the reviewing. Let's get this show on the road.

WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD

The movie’s director, Pete Docter, is no stranger to tackling major societal questions in animated films. His Academy Award-winning work Inside Out wrestled with serious questions about emotions, stress, and disorder. In Soul, Docter travels down a familiar road exploring themes of purpose and self-worth. 

The movie follows the stuggling New York City jazz musician turned middle school band director Joe Gardner (played by Jamie Foxx), who has always dreamed of following in the artists’ footsteps who shaped the genre. Joe hoped (and labored) for years that he would get the gig -- his shot at the big time. His stifeling mother, on the other hand, appreciated the stability of the band director job. She worried more about health insurance, retirement, and a consistent paycheck, than Joe pursuing his implausible big break. But when Joe finally gets his shot at playing with legendary Dorothea Williams (played by Angela Bassett),with the help of his former student Curley (played by Questlove), his dreams take a huge detour after he plummets down literal hole in the road and finds himself on the way to The Great Beyond.

Not only was Joe frightened at the sight of his metaphysical form on a conveyor belt leading to his eternal end, but he was frustrated that "his shot" was taken from him. He claimed that all he had known in life, his purpose, was music. Ever since his father had taken him to the jazz club for the first time, music controlled every step. Trying to find a way out, Joe jump off the road to The Great Beyond and finds himself in The Great Before. Joe's dismount from the conveyer belt of eternal nothingness puts Terry the Soul Accountant (played by Rachel House) into a frenzy trying to find Joe. Soon after his arrival, he sees hundreds of baby souls jumping to Earth to begin their lives. Since his life was over, all attempts of returning to earth went out the window. Looking for a way out, he assumes the title of mentor, helping Soul 22 (played by Tina Fey) find her purpose so she can journey to Earth and begin her life. The only problem is that she has no purpose, nor does she want one. 

Joe sees this as his shot back to Earth so he can continue on his path to musical success. The two souls agree that once 22 finds her purpose, Joe can take her Earth Pass and live his life. 22 decides to show her new friend to Moonwind (played by Graham Norton), a quasi-spiritual guru who helps lost souls get their lives back on track in the spiritual realm and spins signs for a Corner-store in the human world. Moonwind helps Joe in getting him back to Earth, but Joe winds up in a cat and 22 lands in Joe's body. Definitely not what you expected heading into the film.

Joe (as a cat) and 22 (as Joe) run around NYC trying to find Moonwind before Joe's concert. On the way, 22 has several deep and purposeful conversations from Joe's struggling student, his mother, and even his barber. After a successful day of living, 22 doesn't want to go back to the The Great Before. She enjoys her life in Joe's body and decides to stay. After a cross-city run down, Terry catches both Joe and 22 to send them back to The Great Before. 

With 22's newfound spark, not fully knowing what it was, Joe takes her Earth Pass, jumps into his body, plays with Dorothea Williams, and...? Happily ever after? No. Joe enjoyed every second of his time on stage, but he didn't get the feeling he had hoped. That's when all of the lightbulbs come on at once. 22 had been searching for a specific purpose, but there wasn't one. There didn't have to be one! Sparks don't equate to life purpose. Joe had lived his entire life revolving around the aspect of music. Billions of people lived lives revolved around all kinds of different things, but their purpose was living, not one specific act. With all this in mind, Joe journeys back to the The Great Before to give 22 her Earth Pass so she could truly experience real life.

This extreme act of sacrifice put 22 on the path to passion, life, and fulfillment, and Joe back on the conveyer belt to The Great Beyond. Only this time, Joe was at peace. At the film's close, Counselor Jerry (played by Alice Braga) tells Joe that the Council of Jerry's have decided that Joe should get another chance to follow his path, fulfill his purpose, and live.

Now, if you've read this far and hadn't watched the movie, you're either balling your eyes out or thoroughly confused. I was the former, as I am in most Pixar films. Soul was 10/10 in my book. I could not have been happier and more pleased with the voice acting, artistry, story, music, and overall feel for the film. I've been a fan of Pixar from the first time I watched Toy Story. They never cease to amaze me, but there was one thing that I just couldn't get out of my mind once I finished the film.

What should the Christian think of such a film?

Obviously, followers of Christ should not be worried about a conveyer belt fading into eternal nothingness, nor should they question the reality of the beginning of their souls. It's an animated film. Not a debate of the metaphysical against Richard Dawkins. But the film did convict me on the subject of purpose. Maybe not on finding what my general purpose is, but more so of why I'm spending so much time looking for it. 

I'm a planner. I plan things. I plan my life out. I set goals, and I aim to achieve those goals. Purpose is a big deal for me. It drives everything I do. In a broad sense, I understand that Christ should be the driver of every work that I do, every word I say, and every thought I make, yet I strive to go deeper than that. I want to know my innate, specific purpose. Why am I specifically supposed to be here? I truly believe we all have asked that same question. Like the movie has displayed, we are here to live.

Brothers and sisters, we are here to live for the glory of Christ. Many of us who have grown up in Christian homes or have studied at Christian schools know that fact, but rarely do we act like that's enough. We aim to be fulfilled by what we want. We long to be completed by ourselves. We walk to the beat of our drum and sprinkle Jesus in there every once in a while. Doesn't that sound familiar? I know it does for me. The simple truth of the simple gospel that Christ died so we can live is refreshing. That should be all we need to hear because that truth is everything we need.

To those longing for personal worth, purpose, and fulfillment, there is no greater hope and joy than the gospel of Christ. In him, we have received an inheritance of life and peace that has no end. It's beautiful, simple, and true. So, as the saying goes, why don't we just live a little?