Luca
2021
***½
Director: Enrico Casarosa
Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer, Emma Berman, Saverio Raimondo, Maya Rudolph, Marco Barricelli, Jim Gaffigan, Peter Sohn, Manna Massironi, Sandy Martin, Sacha Baron Cohen
For years, there has been unfounded fear between the people in the Italian coastal town of Portorosso and the sea creatures who live below the surface. A young sea creature named Luca runs away from home after his new friend Alberto shows him that he can transform into a human boy on dry land. This light and breezy Pixar animation is not original like Wall-E, groundbreaking like Inside Out, or irresistibly entertaining like Finding Nemo, but its writing and visuals maintain the studio's high quality standard. The heart-warming story tackles familiar but important themes (dealing with loneliness, overcoming prejudices, and being true to yourself). The wrap-up may be a bit too neat and swift, but it's good fun along the way.
