Children’s movies are an influential medium of storytelling, with the ability to portray social phenomena of cultural polarization and gatekeeping in the rawest emotions of a character.

Holding the great power to break chains of discrimination and stereotyping deeply rooted in our society, children’s movies can set the standard for the future of humanity as one of love, compassion, and the utmost courage to stand up for these ideals.

Enrico Casarosa’s 2021 animated Pixar film, Luca, opens up a conversation around social acceptance and love through the wholesome journey of two best friends on their shared dream to win their very own Vespa. Luca captures the magic of self exploration through friendship, traversing the topics of self-identity, relationships, and family in search of middle ground. With a plotline parallel to the seemingly instinctual reaction of separation in today’s society, Luca isn’t just a story about two best friends and their dream of a Vespa, but a groundbreaking allegory of cultural gatekeeping and social division. It teaches us to embrace our differences and love who we are, celebrating every newfound excitement and uncertainty through love and acceptance.

The story begins in the Italian coastal waters of Portorosso, where the main character Luca (voiced by Jacob Tremblay), a blue-scaled sea monster, and his family live. Growing up underwater, Luca knows nothing of life on land; in fact, nobody has told him that he can become human through exploring the world above the surface. Spending his days herding goatfish on the family farm, Luca begins to dig through curious underwater treasures left by humans (or, as the sea monsters call them, “land monsters”). Having been taught all his life to stay away from the surface where the land monsters live, Luca develops a growing curiosity about life on land. Eventually giving in to his instincts, he swims towards the shore and meets Alberto (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer), a sea monster like him, who shares his curiosity about the land-monster town. With their newfound bond of friendship, Luca and Alberto chase their dream to travel the world on their very own Vespa motorbike, allowing them to finally live as their true selves. As the story unfolds, they begin to experience hostility from the land monsters, an ironic phenomenon resembling the sea monsters’ similar fear of those on land. Finally met with the struggle to hide their identity as sea monsters (a physical trait that is only present when their skin comes into contact with water), Luca and Alberto struggle to come to terms with their identities and share their authentic selves with the world.

Often described as an LGBTQ+ allegory, the generations-old “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy of the sea-monster town references and portrays social attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community in militaries during the 1990s. In addition, the subsequent attitudes built on unfounded assumptions and closed conversations continue to fuel a toxic cycle of stigma and hatred, just like Luca grows up with a fear of the surface after having been told to never mention anything about it. This lays a foundation for the rest of the story, depicting the dilemmas of friendship and love in the conflicting desires to protect and to trust. As the plot moves forward, a revelation is made: trust and acceptance put us beyond the superficial differences that divide us and bring a new sense of comradery and love to a chosen family.

The character dynamics in Luca are a representation of the tangles of interpersonal relationships in the face of changing times. Luca stands as a symbol of bravery, unafraid to explore and share his authentic self with the world. Alberto, his best friend, represents the power of sacrifices in friendship, putting others before himself. Giulia, the girl from the land-monster town who invites the two boys to stay with her and her father, Massimo, despite their financial strife, shows the magnanimity that often comes from those who have the least. And Massimo similarly stands as a model of selflessness when he uses his privilege as a human to protect those whose voices are suppressed by the marginalization of society, furthermore encouraging his friends to do the same as he. As the film portrays the different roles people can take on to make a difference in this world — whether it be a protector like Massimo or a picker-upper like Giulia — we can see the value of indignation, cast by the stepping-up of individuals from all walks of life, brought together by their shared desire for justice. By illustrating every individual in society as a single puzzle piece seeking to build a community of love and harmony, Luca manifests the futility of isolation or division, showing how only embrace and trust can bring us to our shared goal of the common good.

Apart from the film’s characters, the animation’s incorporation of scenic realism as a backdrop to the cartoon characters creates an echoing sense of serenity as the movie progresses. The glistening crystal waters of the Italian coast bordering the lush fields of Portorosso set the scene of great nature at the peak of its life, creating an oddly comforting feeling of nostalgia as everything looks picture perfect, as if time has paused and our very own memories of childhood are frozen, too, in frame. With the accompanying soundtrack of many classic 50s- to 70s-era Italian jazz and popular songs, the merging of the real and fictional world remains one of the most unique aspects of Luca that caters beyond the children's demographic, appealing to audiences across generations. Although many aspects of Italian culture might be unrecognizable to international audiences, the overall atmosphere of pure joy and adventure is a greater language understood by all. In addition, many aspects of the Italian language and culture used as catchphrases give the movie a hint of comedy. For example, every one of Guliana’s exclamatory remarks is a different pasta, giving traditional Italian culture a new definition and place in popular culture and expanding the influence of the Italian spirit to different corners of the world.

Overall, I would rate Luca 5 out of 5 stars because the wholesome storyline, classic soundtrack, scenic animation, and character portrayals complement each other beautifully. Although the film is produced to cater to a younger audience of children and adolescents, its universal message of love and courage is important regardless of age, as everyone plays a part in this changing world.

Luca and Alberto’s navigation of adolescence in the movie shows us just how powerful conversation and compassion are in breaking the cycle of social separation. Showing how hate is never the result of our differences but simply a reaction to unresolved fear, Luca and Alberto’s bravery to find their place in the world and step away from the prejudices ingrained by social conventions remains the paragon of the power of love. With its underlying coming-of-age theme of courage and acceptance, Luca echoes the importance of embracing our flaws and celebrating our differences, reminding us that no matter who we are, we are enough and we are worthy.