Family Movie Review: Turning Red
Wow. That was literally the first word out of my mouth when I finished the movie. It took me back! OMG, I felt like I was reliving my adolescence (Can we say NKOTB, Nsync & 98 Degrees?? Sorry y'all, I was not team Backstreet Boys! And DON'T get me started on my R&B list, Shai, H-town, Blackstreet, Jodeci, KC & Jojo) and 13 again—going through all of those same emotions as Mei. It actually brought tears to my eyes.
I do not know Mei's origin story, but mine is a child of immigrants. I was expected to be perfect, make straight As, go to Harvard, and become a doctor or lawyer. This is expected of MOST Nigerian-American children. Instead, I defied everyone. I became a Family Therapist, had a starting lineup of kids, and my kids now tell people I put signs in yards and make cookies for a living. HA! Now, I am adding Disney! Talk about pursuing HAPPINESS!
This movie was full of complexity, which will raise the eyebrows of some Disney parents who may not be ready to discuss certain topics. But the truth is the multicultural, first-generation Americans kids (like me) feel so seen in the movie despite this movie being based in Canada. (Also: I’m definitely not that saying that others can’t be seen). But I just REALLY felt all the conflicts—the feeling of wanting to stick with tradition, respect and responsibility AND the fear of failing when I just want to be WHO I really am. The conflict between happiness, honor, and tradition can be very complex when you just want to live in an American world and go to a concert with your friends! I just want to be happy! :)
Also, there is a prominent religious component to the movie. First, it is based in a Chinese Temple. I had a fantastic opportunity to visit some stunning temples while visiting Taiwan, and even though I am Christian, I understand that other religions look different from mine. There is also a beautiful display of animal symbolism in Chinese culture in this movie, which my children were thrilled to see as they just got done learning ALL about Lunar New Year.
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Here are some triggers I potentially see for people. There are a few spoilers, so skip the paragraph if you don't want to know.
First, there is menstruation talk (not that much). Mei is 13 and her mom believes she started her period, which accounted for a change in her mood one morning. But if you have curious younger children, the topic of periods may come up. My daughter is 7, and she didn't even notice when some of the clear period references started. My boys didn't even register, and they are aware of what a period is as well.
Second, there is a lot of Chinese spirituality and references to the animal connection. They do a ritual to remove some spirits from the body as well. I can see this being a trigger for some people.
Third, the movie “feels” mature. It talks about boys, crushes on boy bands, and bossiness. I read that some people felt like she disrespected her parents at times, but I would like to speak to ANY teenager parent and have them tell me what child has not said her statements to their parents. But my 7 year olds loved it.
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So, what was my takeaway? This movie was about a girl coming of age trying to discover who she is while respecting her culture living in the 2000s. She is trying to find the balance between loving and respecting her parents but wanting to be herself, and in that self-discovery journey, she finds happiness within herself, and in the end, her parents love her for it. The same way my parents are not disappointed that I am not a Harvard Grad with a law degree.
After the movie, I asked my kids to tell me what they thought. Sorry for the dark video, but I wanted their raw reaction. My daughter did not want her video posted, so I will not post hers, but the boys let me know it was okay! They are 10 and 7 years old.
Turning Red is rated PG for thematic material, suggestive content and language.
Turning Red Synopsis: Mei Lee is a 13-year-old girl who is torn between being her mother's obedient daughter and the chaos of her youth. As if that were not enough, when she gets too excited, she turns into a big red panda.
