On December 25th Pixar Animation Studios released their new animated film, “Soul” on Disney+ starring Jamie Foxx and Tina Fey. The story follows Pixar’s first Black protagonist, middle school band teacher Joe Gardner, on the most exciting day of his life. He is finally given the gig of his lifetime to perform at a jazz club in New York City.

Unfortunately, his life gets cut short from a tragic accident in which his soul gets transported on a ramp to get sent off to The Great Beyond. Joe’s soul panics as he jumps off the ramp to fall into The Great Before, where new souls are created. Joe soon meets soul 22 in helping her find her “spark” to complete her process of becoming a human on earth.

“Soul” brings various life lessons to the table throughout the unraveling of Joe and 22’s journey. 22’s character can be relatable to teenagers and young adults who are struggling to find a purpose in life. Teenagers are expected to immediately know which career path to follow as they must determine their major in college. They may not know what their “spark” is and feel as if their lives will amount to nothing, just as 22 felt in the film.

“Soul” reassures viewers that it’s completely fine to not know what their purpose is in life, and that their life should not solely revolve around one thing to keep them going. A person should live their life to the fullest, because life is precious.

Everyone only gets one shot at living and they may not know when it can unexpectedly be cut short. A refreshing take on the meaning of human life, this film addresses how people should not be so close minded when it comes to purpose versus passions.

The film also sparked a controversy in which Joe Gardener did not physically stay human for the entire film. This led for the audience, especially people of color, to be upset as Pixar’s milestone in having their first Black protagonist spent the majority of the two hour movie as a blue soul. The very little screen time of Joe’s Black character was a downplay to Pixar’s introduction of diverse representation in their franchise.

Overall, “Soul” is a true tearjerker and heartfelt movie to watch with friends and family. It displays the important theme of discovering one’s soul. The movie is a huge success with a rating of 95% on Rotten Tomatoes in paving the way for more Disney and Pixar movies with Black leads in the future.