Pixar’s newest animated film Turning Red is a coming-of-age film and is hilarious. Releasing on Disney+, people are loving the message and point of view that this film was able to produce. This film not only represents culture but is very relatable. Turning Red manages to be a deep and emotional story, while also being fun and hectic. 

The film showcases the complex relationship of the leading character, Meilin Lee, having to struggle with a very different kind of “puberty”. Meilin is very different but is like a lot of teenage girls. She is obsessed with a boy but she is very focused, serious, and always likes to make everything perfect. But she constantly years for the approval of her mother, who wants her to look at Meilin as the perfect child. Meilin constantly is going through her ups and downs trying to look perfect at home but doing what she loves at school. One example is singing with her best friends and listening to music loud, which is what her mother hates most. She is balancing a double life in and outside of her home.

Meilin comes from a long line of ancestors, specifically the women in her family where you could either be blessed or cursed with the “red panda.” The red panda comes out in the teenage years. Meilin wakes up one morning to the surprise of looking in the mirror at her very own red panda. She is scared and doesn’t know what to do or even what is happening. Finally, she finds a way to keep her inner red panda out and heads to school hoping everything will be alright. She soon finds out that it might not be her best idea to be in public–her mom catches her. Meilin’s mother tells her the history of the red pandas in their family and even tells her that she once had one too. But it wasn’t so easy to get rid of the red panda, because a ritual has to be performed on the night of a red moon. 

The characters in this film are each so complex and have such an amazing backstory and purpose in Turning Red. Meilin and her group of friends are all so very different from each other but they share one thing in common that bonds their friendship so tightly. Each of the relationships in the film was complex and genuine. It shows the importance of strong family and friendship values. This movie shows a raw and honest approach to characters transforming physically and emotionally. This made it possible for this film to open up to a wider audience.

Turning Red is relatable in many ways–not just to young females, but to almost anyone. It’s relatable having to control your feelings and suppress them. This film represents that with Meilin’s inner panda. You even get to see the harsh relationship between a mother and daughter that many people struggle and go through, not to mention the burdens that many people have to carry through their lives just to make sure they are perfect in someone else’s eyes.

This movie was able to bring perspective to different things that we haven’t yet seen from Pixar. It’s new and something that reels in audiences so much. Although this film is in many ways aimed towards young females and males because of the coming to age sense, the film is still enjoyable for older audiences because it has so much to offer. 

Turning Red is a very heartwarming and joyous film. It’s perfect for a family movie night or even a movie to just chill out too. So I would recommend watching this film because it has so many aspects and emotions that it brings to the plate that makes it a very enjoyable film to watch.