https://movies.disney.com/turning-red
Movie: Turning Red
Studio: Disney
Brief Description: A young girl, Mei, finds out she turns into a giant red panda when she gets big emotions – which is hard to manage at 13! Her mother, Ming, wants her to go through a ceremony to keep the panda caged…but Mei likes her panda and has other ideas.
Rating: PG
MyrmiGrade: 
This was originally a Facebook review. The only additions are in brackets, and I added a “Seeking God” section. Enjoy!
Original Review of Turning Red
Ok, so I REALLY wanted to like it, and was incredibly disappointed that it was only “meh.”
It was horrifically cringe in the first part. Like, I get they are trying to show how kids are embarrassed by their parents…but the types of things they depicted would have scarred a young girl’s life (not to mention her school reputation) for YEARS. There are two main incidents that I won’t get into, because of spoilers. But one of them would 100% have ruined the life of the poor convenience store guy [as well]. There was NO WAY they could redeem that in an hour and a half movie. (And they didn’t – they just seemed to gloss over it.)
Also, most 13 year-olds can’t stand up to their families the way Mei did. It was inspiring, but unrealistic. So it added a layer of sadness for me that I couldn’t quite shake.
That being said, Mei is absolutely adorable! The way her friends affirm and accept her is amazing. And the way her mother came around in the end made me cry. I do wish the dad had been more of a presence, although he is the one who encouraged Mei to be herself.
Overall, I’d give it a C+. It had potential and the main character was amazing, but they tried to jam too much in. Did they want a coming of age story? An accepting yourself story? A mother-daughter story? I get all those are intertwined, but I think it’s too much for a light hearted, hour and a half film. Or at least for this film. All of those aspects were part of Luca and Brave, so I know Pixar can do it. They just weren’t able to knock it out of the park on this one.
Seeking God in Turning Red
The way Mei’s friends unconditionally love and accept Mei is such an amazing depiction of God’s love for us. And it should be the way we love others. It was visible and palpable. I want my love to be that way.
I’m ashamed to say most people don’t think of Christians as loving. But Jesus was known for his love. It’s definitely something to ponder: am I really showing people God’s unconditional love? Or is my love nullified by my overbearing expectations of how they should act?
