Soul
Soul
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Watch-outs
What this film brings
Content barometer
Violence
1/5
Mild
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
3/5
Complex
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Soul is a warm, imaginative family animated film that blends humor, music, and reflection about life's meaning in a highly stylized fantasy world. The main sensitive element is the hero's death early in the story, followed by scenes set in realms connected to before life and the afterlife, along with some moments of existential sadness, tension, and darker looking lost souls. These elements are not graphic, there is no realistic violence, and the overall presentation stays gentle, though the ideas themselves may unsettle very young viewers. The story also includes emotional conversations about dreams, disappointment, and feeling purposeless, which can be more challenging than the visuals. Parents may want to watch along if a child is sensitive to death, hospitals, or abstract questions about life, so they can offer reassurance and help frame the story's poetic approach.
Synopsis
Joe Gardner is a middle school teacher with a love for jazz music. After a successful audition at the Half Note Club, he suddenly gets into an accident that separates his soul from his body and is transported to the You Seminar, a center in which souls develop and gain passions before being transported to a newborn child. Joe must enlist help from the other souls-in-training, like 22, a soul who has spent eons in the You Seminar, in order to get back to Earth.
Difficult scenes
The most striking moment comes very early, when Joe falls down an open manhole after a joyful audition and then realizes he has died. The scene is not graphic, but the idea is very clear, and it may startle a young child who does not expect the main character to die near the beginning of the film. Part of the story takes place in realms connected to the afterlife and before life, with characters discussing being born, dying, and finding a reason to live. The visuals are colorful and inventive, but the concepts are abstract and may lead to big questions or mild discomfort for very young children. In the Zone, some souls become lost when they are consumed by obsession or discouragement, and their appearance turns darker and more intimidating. These moments are brief and stylized, but they create more tension than the rest of the film and may worry children who are sensitive to transformations or threatening figures. The film also includes emotional exchanges in which Joe and 22 express frustration, inner emptiness, and a sense of personal failure. There is no graphic cruelty, but the emotional weight may affect children who react strongly to sadness or to characters doubting their own worth.
Where to watch
No verified platform for the US market yet. We keep this section updated as availability changes.
Availability checked on Apr 01, 2026
About this title
- Format
- Feature film
- Year
- 2020
- Runtime
- 1h 40m
- Countries
- United States of America
- Original language
- EN
- Studios
- Pixar
Content barometer
Violence
1/5
Mild
Fear
2/5
A few scenes
Sexuality
0/5
None
Language
0/5
None
Narrative complexity
3/5
Complex
Adult themes
0/5
None
Expert review
Soul is a warm, imaginative family animated film that blends humor, music, and reflection about life's meaning in a highly stylized fantasy world. The main sensitive element is the hero's death early in the story, followed by scenes set in realms connected to before life and the afterlife, along with some moments of existential sadness, tension, and darker looking lost souls. These elements are not graphic, there is no realistic violence, and the overall presentation stays gentle, though the ideas themselves may unsettle very young viewers. The story also includes emotional conversations about dreams, disappointment, and feeling purposeless, which can be more challenging than the visuals. Parents may want to watch along if a child is sensitive to death, hospitals, or abstract questions about life, so they can offer reassurance and help frame the story's poetic approach.
Synopsis
Joe Gardner is a middle school teacher with a love for jazz music. After a successful audition at the Half Note Club, he suddenly gets into an accident that separates his soul from his body and is transported to the You Seminar, a center in which souls develop and gain passions before being transported to a newborn child. Joe must enlist help from the other souls-in-training, like 22, a soul who has spent eons in the You Seminar, in order to get back to Earth.
Difficult scenes
The most striking moment comes very early, when Joe falls down an open manhole after a joyful audition and then realizes he has died. The scene is not graphic, but the idea is very clear, and it may startle a young child who does not expect the main character to die near the beginning of the film. Part of the story takes place in realms connected to the afterlife and before life, with characters discussing being born, dying, and finding a reason to live. The visuals are colorful and inventive, but the concepts are abstract and may lead to big questions or mild discomfort for very young children. In the Zone, some souls become lost when they are consumed by obsession or discouragement, and their appearance turns darker and more intimidating. These moments are brief and stylized, but they create more tension than the rest of the film and may worry children who are sensitive to transformations or threatening figures. The film also includes emotional exchanges in which Joe and 22 express frustration, inner emptiness, and a sense of personal failure. There is no graphic cruelty, but the emotional weight may affect children who react strongly to sadness or to characters doubting their own worth.