The Relatability of Disney’s Encanto
The 60th animated feature film from Disney Studios, Encanto, is a fun, vibrant and magical story that audiences will immediately fall in love with. Our story begins when a mother of three is given their own little miracle, a magical living house that bestows superpowered gifts upon each child of the family. However, when young Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz) comes of age, the house ends up not giving her a gift. When the miracle is threatened and her family in danger, an insecure and unsure Mirabel takes it upon herself to save the family and their magical home. It may not be Disney’s best film in terms of music or plot, but the deeply personal cast of characters will surely have you entertained.
An Amazing and Diverse Cast of Characters
The entire Madrigal family is an absolute joy to watch. Each member of the family has a unique yet universal personality that you can’t help but smile and maybe even recognize your own family in. I was able to recognize someone I knew in every character in this film and it just made it so enjoyable to watch. As someone who’s grown up in a large family and is close with extended family, I had such a fun time seeing this family interact and behave in ways that were so familiar to me. While the whole cast was just amazing, there was one character that stood out.
Luisa, played by Jessica Darrow, is the big, strong old sister of Mirabel. In my personal favorite song of the movie, Luisa sings about how much pressure she is under, metaphorically and literally as she feels the need to carry all her family and their problems on her back. The song and Luisa’s character bring up some very valuable lessons and ideas that aren’t brought up enough in media. I feel like a lot of people tend to take on more and more responsibilities since they feel expected to or because they feel like they owe it to someone. Even more of us feel like we have to be this strong and capable force that doesn’t feel weighed down by stress or emotions. Luisa shows audience members that it’s ok to be vulnerable and that you don’t need to put so much pressure on yourself. We see this giant, muscular woman realize through song that she doesn’t have to carry her family’s needs on her back all the time and I feel like that’s a lesson a lot of people really need to hear. It’s with characters and messages like this one that really makes this film special and such a joy to watch.
Luisa isn’t the only other character that shines on screen. Mirabel’s other older sister Isabela was such a fun and well developed character. Throughout the film Isabela and Mirabel have a sibling rivalry brewing that causes Mirabel to get into trouble and cause problems for the rest of the family. Anyone with siblings will certainly relate to their dynamic. Despite their struggles, a great sisterly relationship does form between the two. I really appreciate this recent trend for Disney movies where they focus on sibling relations rather than on romantic ones. First Frozen with Anna and Elsa, Hiro and Tadashi with Big Hero 6, now Encanto with Mirabel and Isabela. Part of what I loved about Isabela’s character is that, much like Luisa, she also feels burdened by family expectations of being the “perfect daughter.” As the film progresses she learns to listen to her heart and live life the way that she wants and not the way her family expects her to.
Overall this movie really thrives with it’s characters and the relationships these characters have with each other. It really does feel like a large family that takes care of each other. The interactions feel so real and human that you’ll find yourself smiling from the wholesome and relatable content.
The Catchy Music
One can’t talk about this movie without bringing up the soundtrack to this movie. Lin-Manuel Miranda brings on another lyrically amazing set list to the Madrigal family. Personally I didn’t find it as memorable or as good as his work on Disney’s Moana, but the song Surface Pressure may be my favorite song of his. The editing and animation that accompany this song is some of the most interesting and entertaining parts of the entire film. It was so good that I was even humming this song on my drive home from the theater. As soon as this album becomes available on November 19th I will certainly be adding it to my music library.
My Consensus
As great as the characters are, this movie is just alright in my opinion. The music is good but not as great as some other recent Disney films, the plot is interesting, the diversity is exciting, and the visuals are great, but the whole time I just felt like something was missing. The pacing felt really off and it took awhile for it to get going. I love Stephanie Beatriz and love Lin-Manuel’s music but neither of them were able to carry this film for me. That’s not to say this film is bad, don’t get me wrong. It’s another enjoyable animated Disney film. but I just don’t see myself eager to watch this one again. But hey, check out the film for yourself when Disney’s Encanto hits theaters this Thanksgiving only in theaters!
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Ever since I was young, I had always been fascinated in film and the work that goes into them. I love animation, blockbuster hits, indie films and everything in between. Some day I’ll have the privilege of being apart of the filmmaking process.
