The 4 Things to Know Before Watching Soul on Disney+ With Your Kids
Disney-Pixar's highly anticipated movie Soul certainly pulls at the heartstrings. Geared to kids of all ages, your entire family will want to grab a bowl of popcorn (and perhaps a box of tissues!) before watching as a middle school band teacher named Joe (voiced by Jamie Foxx) travels to another world after dying unexpectedly. Confused after learning what happened to him, he quickly befriends a soul named 22 (Tina Fey) who is trapped in the "Great Before" — and has never spent a single day on earth.
Despite having different goals, Joe and 22 go on the adventure of a lifetime when they both end up on Earth, trapped in slightly different bodies. Along with helping 22 find her passion — or "spark" — for living, Joe does everything in his power to perform alongside a renowned jazz performer, something he's wanted to do ever since he was born. Thoughtful and deep, viewers will think about the lessons in Soul long after the final credits roll.
Scroll ahead to learn what to be aware of before queuing up this incredible film, which is available for streaming on Disney+ beginning Dec. 25!
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The film's entire theme is centered on death.
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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The "lost souls" might scare children at first.
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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There’s an emotional flashback, which younger kids may not understand.
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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22 has a stream of negative thoughts at one point, which may be worth discussing with kids.
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!