This review will not be coherent. This review will not be very technical. Mostly, this review will be me gushing and trying to sort out the mess of emotions Brave left me in.
Um, what to say besides that I have just witnessed damn near perfection? Honestly, see this movie with your parents if you can. Particularly if you’re a girl, see it with your mom. See it tomorrow. See it as soon as you can so you too can know the
Merida’s relationship with both of her of her parents is…well, what can I say? She loves them and they love her, and that’s obvious even when they stubbornly fight over what the best course is. To be honest, the dynamic is so similar to the one in my own family it’s a little unnerving. Merida and her father bond over adventure and archery, and delight in poking fun at overwrought decorum. Queen Elinor, on the other hand, has very specific ideas about what Merida’s life will hold; they stand in stark contrast to what the princess would prefer. But we are shown, in the beginning of the film and through a flashback or two, that although the surface of their interactions is turbulent and incendiary, everything is threaded with love and a wish to reach an understanding. Merida’s three brothers are every bit the annoying, mischievous siblings that will come through for you in a pinch, and the relationship between Elinor and Fergus is also a highlight.
Make no mistake; the bond between Merida and her mother is the center of the film. (Anila actually pointed out that this would be perfect for Mother’s Day and Finding Nemo for Father’s Day.) Elinor confronts her daughter with the wisdom of experience and specific tradition, while Merida fights back with the stubborn righteousness of a teenager. Chances are, you’ve probably been on one side or the other, maybe both, at some point in your life, and their interactions will strike home. All of this comes to a boiling point at the competition for Merida’s hand in marriage, and naturally this leads to regretted actions and the external plot of the film: Merida asks for a spell to change her fate and it does not go as planned. And this is where Elinor and Merida’s relationship truly becomes the focal point, because they have to fix things and only they can do it. Both women are forced to learn from each other by necessity. There is one moment where Merida channels Elinor’s particular brand of BAMFness that leads to both a Crowning Moment of Awesome and a Crowning Moment of Heartwarming.
One of my many favorite things about this movie was that it embraced both empowerment and femininity. Elinor is certainly a lady, but that doesn’t mean she can’t command attention and respect when she needs to. Her daughter loves to ride, shoot, and explore, and she hates lessons, but this never feels like a total rejection of anything feminine as inferior. That’s a very difficult balance to strike, and I’m impressed and deeply appreciative of the Pixar writers for doing it so beautifully.
As always in films, and animated ones in particular, nothing is wasted. The threads of story are woven lovingly together into an extraordinary tale. The mythic element is carefully added to be a full part of the world but also mysterious and believable. All of this is helped by the art and the music; Brave is easily Pixar’s most wonderfully animated film to date, and the departure from the usual three composers to Patrick Doyle is an excellent choice.
Like most Pixar films, bringing a box of tissues with you is probably a good idea. The climactic scene is stunning and desperate and ultimately so impactful, just thinking about it is turning me into a quivering blob again. However, the movie is also hysterically funny, with witty dialogue and lots of marvelous sight gags. If you’re worried because you have no real idea of what the plot is, don’t be. This film is lovely and a treasure, and proves yet again why everyone goes to see Pixar films in the theater. And on that note, the short that precedes Brave, La Luna, is wonderful and poignant as well, with beautiful music by Michael Giacchino.
What a good movie. What a good, good movie.
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