(CNN) -
The best Disney / Pixar animated films historically rank to the delight of children and adults.
"Soul," a Pixar title diverted to Disney +, leans heavily toward the latter, wonderfully exploring ambitious themes about the meaning of life that should resonate more with adults than the younger souls in its broadcast orbit.
That caveat aside, the film with Pixar veteran Pete Docter ("Up" and "Inside Out") and co-director Kemp Powers (the writer of the play and upcoming film "One Night in Miami") will be an addition to the roster. Pixar library worthy of its classics.
While the movie may not have been a commercial success, it's hard not to admire a premise that dares to tackle ideas as lofty as life after death and what makes life worth living, filtered through the hopes. and dreams of Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx in its English version).
Joe, a high school music teacher, has spent his life wishing to succeed as a musician, seeking gigs at the expense of his career.
When the opportunity to live those dreams suddenly presents itself, his absent-minded joy leads to his premature demise, a real bummer, considering he had just said that he "could die happily" if he ever played with the musician who offered him the opportunity.
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Waking up on the escalator to the afterlife, Joe makes a desperate attempt to get back, leading him on a rather fun tour of what might look like the great afterlife.
While that animation is typically lush, the actual design of the "souls" characters is rounded and simple, a bit like the sweet boy from Poppin 'Fresh, only with a slightly eerie shade of blue.
In the process, Joe meets a young soul in what is known as The Great Before, 22 (Tina Fey), who has long resisted embarking on the journey to Earth, despite a hilarious list of mentors including a who's who of historical figures.
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This is where "Soul" really starts to leave the little ones behind, unless your preteen is up to making jokes about George Orwell and Mother Teresa.
Ultimately, Joe and 22 find their way to Earth, but not in the way (or way) he expected, leading to a series of wild encounters as he seeks to achieve what he sees as his life purpose.
That section of the movie is developed quite cleverly, but it's the resolution that really brings the idea home.
The emotional nature of that experience is reminiscent of the opening sequence of "Up," which silently narrates a life of love and ultimately loss, leaving many adults in the theater (ah, theaters) sobbing as their children waited to get to the theater. talking dog and the flying house
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"Soul" also has a wonderful score, as the music is central to the story, provided by Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross with jazzy compositions courtesy of Jon Batiste;
again, it's not something guys can fully appreciate on the couch.
In addition to Foxx and Fey, the voice cast includes Phylicia Rashad, Angela Bassett, Graham Norton, and Daveed Diggs.
Of course, the idea of animation tackling big existential themes is welcome, and the creative team on "Soul" deserves huge credit for the effort.
However, one suspects that translating that into the kind of box office stampede Pixar has enjoyed with movies like the "Toy Story" and "Incredibles" franchises would have been challenging, making the direct-to-online tactic. minus a financial sacrifice.
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Either way, "Soul" is highly recommended, especially for adults who might not be inclined to anything else, and a return to form for Pixar after the less satisfying "Onward."
However, parents who want to really enjoy it may want to see it at least once without their children, who will understandably be less aware of the decisions they make, the paths they don't take, and the places their own escalators go. they could carry them.
"Soul" premiered on December 25 on Disney +.
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