Weekend Watch: Turning Red, The Adam Project
Pixar tackles parental pressure and Ryan Reynolds meets his younger self...
Image Credit: Disney+
Welcome to the latest edition of Weekend Watch, in which I recommend (or occasionally warn against) movies or TV shows I’ve been checking out. This week, Pixar has a girl undergoing changes and Netflix sends Ryan Reynolds on a time travel mission. Follow James on Twitter: @jamwhite
Before I crack into the meat of the reviews, I must vent my frustration that neither of these movies will enjoy a proper theatrical release. Even more than some recent movies I’ve watched at home and are headed to streaming services, it’s a real shame that audiences won’t truly get the chance to experience the emotions and scale of both films on the biggest screen possible. And while I understand the reasoning behind Disney trying to make sure Pixar’s latest gets a wide audience at a time when families aren’t as eager to return to cinemas as other crowds (though Sing 2 rather put the lie to that), it feels more like the company giving in to its insatiable desire for more Disney+ subscribers.
This takes nothing away from the movie itself – though Domee Shi’s directorial debut may not reside among the very top echelons of Pixar’s output, it’s still a wildly stylish, emotionally impactful and meaningful film on its own terms.
The story here is of young Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang), an Asian-Canadian girl living in Toronto in 2002 on the cusp of turning 13. She’s an avowed, proud nerd, has a loyal group of friends, loves a cheesy boy band known as 4*Town, and excels in everything she puts her mind to. That’s partly because of the expectations of her mother, Ming (Sandra Oh), with whom she cares for the family’s temple after school.
But while she was expecting life and body changes as she aged, she wasn’t expecting to turn into a giant Red Panda, into which she transforms whenever she feels strong emotion. Still, once her initial shocked reaction subsides, she learns that it’s something she can live with – and even use to her advantage. And there are other layers to the Panda’s presence that I won’t get into here but serve to give the story more meaning and depth.
Shi has crafted a heartfelt, funny and exciting tale of cultural and parental pressure that tackles those themes in a way that feels fresh and invigorating instead of raking over cold old coals of pushy Moms and quiet Dads. Mei’s life at school and her self-assuredness, to begin with, are pleasant changes from the standard outsider narrative, while the parents aren’t just strict automatons.
It's all realised in vivid, semi-anime style, having fun with the format and drawing from various other influences to create a joyful movie that doesn’t shy away from the deeper feelings and conflict when needed.
The focus is on Asian families but Turning Red smartly says enough about tweenage/teenage life, female friendship and the worship of floppy-haired hunks that make it universal.
Turning Red is on Disney+ now.
Image Credit: Netflix
After working together on Free Guy, director Shawn Levy and Ryan Reynolds have reunited at record speed for their latest collaboration, which was quickly snapped up by Netflix (thanks to Levy’s long association with the streaming service and Reynolds’ more recent appearance in Red Notice). Unlike that latter movie, which essentially tried to coast on the chemistry of its leads, The Adam Project finds a way to harness Reynolds’ trademark blend of snark and heart (sneart?) for an Amblin-style adventure.
Kicking off with Reynolds’ hotshot pilot Adam Reed “borrowing” a time-travelling plane in 2050 and heading back in time, we then catch up with the younger Adam (Walker Scobell) in 2022, still grieving his father and being bullied at school.
The loss of his dad has hardened Adam, and he’s a cynical, quippy, damaged sort who is surprised to see his older self suddenly show up. Quickly getting over his initial distrust and amazement, Adam learns that the grown version is on a mission to find his wife and save the world from the chaos that time travel has wrought.
Reynolds, is of course, very much his usual character type: quick-witted and silly, but with a well of emotion that he taps when needed. Levy, though, has really clicked with the actor, finding a way to channel it all in a way that works to power the movie instead of shutting it down for a riff session. He’s ably supported by the likes of Jennifer Garner, who plays Adam’s strong yet troubled mother and (because it’s time travel and he’s in the trailer) Mark Ruffalo as his dad.
And not forgetting Zoe Saldaña as Laura, Adam’s wife from the future, who, while she doesn’t have as much to do, makes an impact in more ways than one.
The real discovery here, though, is Scobell, who is a revelation as the young Adam and plays off the older man’s energy as one of the best young performances in the year so far.
Levy’s an old hand at this sort of family-friendly adventure, but The Adam Project feels elevated in all the right ways. It might have taken four writers (Jonathan Tropper, T.S. Nowlin, Jennifer Flackett and Mark Levin) to crank out (plus who knows what input from Reynolds and Levy), but this has the potential to become a real family favourite and an inspiration going forward.
The Adam Project is on Netflix now.