Disney Pixar's Soul Parents' Guide

1 The film's entire theme is centered on death.

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Although there aren't any graphic scenes, the plot is centered on Joe's untimely death. While accidents happen in real life all the time, your kids may have questions about what happens after they die or how to prevent such a tragedy from happening to their loved ones.

Given the premise, there are some sad moments in the film, however, it likely won't make you bawl in the same way Coco did. Soul takes a more metaphysical approach that will inspire kids to pursue their passions in life.

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2 The "lost souls" might scare children at first.

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Around the 30-minute mark, viewers get their first peek at the "lost souls," or people who are unable to let go of their lives on earth. Big, dark, fast-moving fellows with one eyeball and tentacles, lost souls can be a little scary at first for young viewers.

Moonwind (voiced by Graham Norton), who is Joe and 22's adorable hippie guide in the after-life and a member of "mystics without borders," explained that lost souls are "people who can't let go of their own anxieties and obsessions." While the first example we see is that of an overstressed hedgefund manager (ha!), they crop up again later in the movie but aren't nearly as frightening.

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3 There’s an emotional flashback, which younger kids may not understand.

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Towards the end of the film, Joe reflects on all of the best moments of his life, which includes spending time with his late father and teaching his students how to play instruments. Although young children may not fully comprehend what's going on, this is a particularly powerful scene for anyone who's lost a parent or a loved one. The short of it? Prepare for waterworks!

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4 22 has a stream of negative thoughts at one point, which may be worth discussing with kids.

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While it's natural for people to become mired in self-doubt once in a while, it's likely not a habit we want our little ones to consistently adopt. At the end of the film, we see 22 become hopeless, which results in her saying self-deprecating things to herself, like, "You have no purpose." This particular scene reminded us a lot of when Riley loses hope in the movie Inside Out — how your kiddos reacted to both Riley's negative thoughts and Sadness's general demeanor throughout Inside Out is a good litmus test to gauge whether or they can handle Soul's themes!

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