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8.7/10
FilmFascination Rating
This review contains major plot details from Soul. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, stop reading now and go watch it first!
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There has always been something fascinating about movies that explore life’s biggest questions – Why are we here? What’s my purpose? What is success, really? At some point, all of us pause mid-routine and ask: Am I on the right path? Will following my passion make me happy? Will success finally give me peace? Pixar’s Soul doesn’t just touch on these ideas, it dives deep, challenges your assumptions, and flips them on their head. And it does all of this while being packaged as (air quotes) “a children’s movie”. Trust me, Soul shatters that label from the very first act.
The story follows Joe Gardner, a passionate jazz pianist who, like his father, lives for music. But reality is far less glamorous – Joe is a middle-school music teacher, and his mother wishes he’d settle into a stable job. The moment we hear Joe play, it’s clear he’s meant for more. Just as he is offered a full-time teaching position, he finally gets his big break – a gig with the legendary Dorothea Williams. The excitement builds, but Pixar isn’t about to give us a straight line to triumph. Joe narrowly avoids a couple of accidents, only to fall into a manhole… and die. This is the moment Soul makes it clear it’s not your usual feel-good movie.
After his sudden death, Joe finds himself on the conveyor belt to The Great Beyond. Most souls there are calm, accepting. Joe? Not so much. His refusal to move on sends him tumbling into The Great Before – an imaginative realm where souls get their personalities, quirks, and “spark” before heading to Earth. The sad thing is, had he not gotten the gig, I don’t think he would’ve bothered much himself. That is how it has become like. Pixar’s world-building here is stunning. The You Seminar scenes are whimsical yet thought-provoking, but what really stuck with me was the concept of “the zone” – a euphoric state where passion and spirit connect. Achieve balance, and it’s magic; obsess, and you risk becoming a lost soul. It’s an idea that feels uncomfortably real.
At first, the film seems to say your “spark” is your life’s purpose – a neat motivational mantra. I even found myself thinking, Movies. That’s my spark. Sharing them with people. But then Joe finally plays his dream gig… and it doesn’t feel the way he imagined. Through heartfelt conversations with his mother, Dorothea’s haunting fish story, and the journey of 22 — a cynical soul convinced Earth is pointless – we begin to see the shift. “Your spark isn’t your purpose.” Your purpose is simply… living. Savoring the little things. 22’s journey inside Joe’s body shows this in quiet, beautiful moments – a warm slice of pizza, a falling leaf, sunlight on a sidewalk.
Soul is packed with wisdom but never stops being fun. There’s mature humor sprinkled in, like 22’s deadpan remark in The Great Before: “Can’t crush a soul here. That’s what life on Earth is for.” And yet, the movie isn’t perfect. For all of Pixar’s famed attention to detail, a few threads feel loose. What happens to 22? That is just left for us. What happens to the soul of the cat after the mishap? Even that’s unexplained. For something so well thought some attention to detail would have been appreciated. But these are small quibbles in an otherwise masterful narrative.
The ending, though, is pure visual poetry. In a four-minute, dialogue-free sequence, Soul distills the beauty of being alive with breathtaking elegance. It’s an ending that feels earned – one that lingers in your mind, nudging you to look at your own life differently. Like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off said: “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it.” Soul doesn’t just tell you this, it makes you feel it.
With its heartfelt storytelling, imaginative world, and profound themes, Soul is far more than a “what is life all about” movie. It’s a soulful, layered story that speaks to both children and adults. Whether you watch it for the jazz, the animation, or the existential questions, you’ll leave seeing life – and your place in it – a little differently.
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