A Review for Turning Red: A Real Take on Growing Up

Turning Red is the latest animated film put out by Disney and covers many heavy-hitting topics such as generational trauma and finding your true self through a light-hearted and funny story. It follows Mei, a young Asian girl having to deal with a curse in her family that turns her into a red panda every time she feels a strong emotion. With this newfound ability, she has to decide whether to obey her mom’s beliefs to “keep the panda in" or to let her true self out and be who she really is inside.

I, for one, loved this film because of its accurate portrayal of growing up as a teenage girl in today’s society, and I also thought the heavy inclusion of Asian representation was beautifully done. I’m definitely biased toward this movie because it hits very close to home for me, but even if you can’t relate to some of the characters’ specific struggles, the overall message of self-acceptance is one that everyone should listen to and be reminded of once in a while.

Now, many people have critiqued this film for being a little too real at times because it brings up uncomfortable topics regarding puberty and growing up; I actually think this is one of the things that make this film shine. It covers the topics no one wants to talk about and shows, truly, what it’s like to be a teenage girl growing up and enduring hard trials and tribulations. It doesn’t sugar coat it and makes it seem easy because it isn’t. Sure, Mei, the main character, might act “cringy” and “weird” at times, but she’s acting like an actual teenager and not a perfect kid because no one is. Seeing this new perspective is very refreshing and I hope other movies incorporate this sort of realness into their plots as well.

So, the next time you decide to sit down and scroll through Disney Plus, give Turning Red a shot (if you haven't already rewatched it three times as I have). You might get to learn some new things while laughing with a girl and her friends as they go through the hurdles life constantly throws at them.