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Turning Red (2022) - a review

 



"Turning Red", a love letter to every girl's early crisis

the first sentence I mumbled after I got to the end credit of this movie is, "huh. the amount of money I would give to have this movie existed when I was in middle school" 

from that sentence alone, you'll get what I meant. 

if you haven't got the chance to watch this movie yet, the chance is you already hear or know the premise of the movie. 

this movie tells a story about Meilin "Mei" Lee (voiceover by Rosalie Chiang) whom one day woke up as a red panda. While she's trying to figure it all out all morning before school what has happened during her sleep, she figured that she'll turn into a giant, cute, and fluffy panda every time she overwhelms with emotion. Or basically every time her feelings and emotions are in overdrive. By the time she was able to adapt to her new condition, she finally found a way to deal with her new nature and accept what she has become, her concerned and overprotective Mom (voiceover by Sandra Oh!!!) is trying to still be involved with her daughter whom in the age of puberty. In part, because she really does care about her daughter considering her upbringing and her own relationship with her mother, and others for some reason I won't mention in this article because that would be a spoiler. You know i got you guys *wink*

i love how the movie chose to have a depiction approach with the heart-warmingly beautiful and imaginatively humane story of puberty that every girl especially Asians went through. It just shows how much growing up not only changes whatever is inside you, the hormonal and organs and biological stuff, but also affects the dynamics of every relationship you have in your life including family, friendships, enemies, frenemies, et cetera but mostly a girl's relationship with their mom (or moms). AND WITH YOUR FAVORITE BOYBAND! (my family went through a phase when i was obsessed and madly in love with One Direction. Also, Jordan Fisher is cast as one of the boyband members Mei is idolizing)

the characters and the story of this movie remind me of how unfettered I was at that age, feeling like the world is full of promises, and how honest we all are. Feeling whatever emotions and acknowledging them as it is. Saying that you're sad when you're feeling sad, euphorically excited when your favorite celebrity singer or boyband releases new music or makes a comeback. Now that I've in my 20s, I realized how less appreciative I was when I can still see the world and people in it through that lens. 

This movie is genuinely good and a TREAT. All praise to Domee Shi, the director, and all the people involved in making this movie. Go watch it if you haven't watched it yet. It's on Disney+

Enjoy.

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