‘Luca’ Celebrates Otherhood Under the Guise of Coming-of-Age Cuteness
BY SCOTTIE KNOLLIN
Bittersweet and full of adventure, Pixar’s latest follows two kids, Luca (voiced by Jacob Tremblay) and Alberto (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer) , who spend the summer of lifetime adventuring above the waters they call home. As gilled and colorful creatures, the excitement of rising to the surface and transforming into humans is a rush that they can’t escape. The heart of the film swiftly becomes the bond formed between the two boys as they interact with the townsfolk in an Italian seaside village. As with anyone in early adolescence, finding your chosen family usually requires some aspect of commonality. For Luca and Alberto, it’s having to hide who they really are from the people around them that defines the closeness of their friendship.
When the first synopsis and stills were released for the film, many felt it was Pixar’s attempt at queer allegory - that the true identity and bond Luca and Alberto were hiding was their attraction to one another or, at the very least, a shared fear of coming out. With an Italian setting reminiscent of 2017’s “Call Me By Your Name” and even its title, “Luca”, sharing the first name of the director of that Best Picture-nominated film, it’s no surprise that many projected the potential for a “gay film” into the ether of Pixar’s studies on elements of life. The celebrated production company has already produced classic commentary on other notable and often ignored subjects in children’s entertainment like loneliness and grief. Those who want to see “Luca” through the lens of queer life experiences will find plenty of opportunities to do so (even his parents, voiced by Maya Rudolph and Jim Gaffigan, are fearful of how others will respond if they discover Luca’s true identity). At a point towards the end, Luca’s grandmother, voiced by Sandy Martin, says, “Some people, they’ll never accept him. But some will. And he seems to know how to find the good ones.” It’s hard to remember a piece of dialogue in recent that speaks so specifically to the lived experience many in the queer community have navigated - one that requires a search for family and community outside of the norm.
For me, the meat of the pasta-infused plot is that discovery of accepting others. It becomes obvious that the humans that seem to welcome Luca and Alberto first are ones who have also found themselves relegated to the margins in one way or another. Giulia (voiced by Emma Berman) becomes their closest human friend. Her bright red hair sets her apart from the mostly-dark haired people she zooms past every day on her bike. Giulia’s father, Massimo (voiced by Marco Barricelli), was born with only one arm, but he’s a celebrated fisherman and cook. In fact, it takes rough-and-tough Massimo to usher a wave of acceptance by many others in town. Sometimes, it’s the ones you expect the least, to be the greatest allies for those who’ve been marginalized.
Whether you decide to read the film as allegory or just plain adventure, there’s plenty of room for interpretation. A sign of a good piece of art, even if that phrasing is relative, is if it inspires conversation and different interpretations. In fact, our own unique perspectives are celebrated when they are allowed to flourish through a shared experience. In “Luca”, craftily directed by Enrico Casarosa, you’ll find relatability and realness we’re not typically offered in mainstream animated films.
The creative elements on display in “Luca” are also unique when compared to Pixar’s more recent run of films. The animation is more plump and cartoonish than, even with attention to realistic details in mind. The voice cast isn’t as flashy as those of “Cars” or “Toy Story”, but each actor’s work serves the greater good. It’s refreshing to have something lighter, even with its exploration of existential themes, that still feels top quality and finely tuned. Pixar has made the mistake in the past (cough, “The Good Dinosaur”, cough) of missing the mark when looking for the balance between solid craftmanship all around. A celebration of otherhood with a literal fish-out-of-water flair, “Luca” won’t go down as one of Pixar’s greatest achievements, but the coming-of-age tale set in the Italian Riviera is charming and heartwarming to very last splash.
