Luca is the kind of Pixar movie that’s less a disappointment and more a sign that the studio has found a comfort within itself. Not everything has to be a think piece on dealing with complex emotions (Inside Out), overconsumption (Wall-E), or a hunt for a purpose (Soul). Sometimes just being an enjoyable family film is enough.
The title character is actually a sea monster, sort of a mix of boy and lizard, living beneath the ocean off the coast of Italy- he has been forbidden to travel to the surface for fear of what the “human monsters” may do to him and his family. Nonetheless, he is curious in the same way Ariel was in The Little Mermaid, and why not? This is another gorgeous-looking animated film from Pixar that adds vivid, bright colors to everything the sunlight touches. When another young monster named Alberto (voice: Jack Dylan Grazer) travels out of the sea, Luca (voice: Jacob Tremblay) follows suit, only to discover that on dry land, they can both turn into human boys.
Director Enrico Casarosa’s film is at its strongest when detailing young male friendship- bonding, exploring, and the exhilaration of pushing the limits of their own safety. The boys are both in love with the sleek motor scooter known as the Vespa, and even try to build one themselves without much luck. As they explore the little Italian town of Portorosso, a new plan forms. A young girl named Giulia (voice: Emma Berman) tells them of a triathlon that will get them just enough cash to buy one of their own, they just have to get past the arrogant windbag who wins the race every year. And of course, keep from getting wet, or they will turn back into monsters and be hunted by the town.
Slapstick and awkward (and literal) fish out of water material works just fine at providing laughs (also the third thing involved in the triathlon is a funny Italian dig). The ideas of acceptance (even of monsters) and always reaching for knowledge of worlds beyond your own is nice but both feel like they’ve been handled with more heft by other Pixar films. Nonetheless, this film moves very well, doesn’t overstay its welcome, and has some very charismatic characters. It’s harmless, but families should still love it.