DreamWork' Home Is Where The Heart Is

This contains heavy spoilers for DreamWorks' Home. 

I had the pleasure of seeing Home last weekend and have been gathering up all my thoughts waiting for the official release to spew them. This movie was such a critical movie for DreamWorks as well as animation. Not only has DreamWorks Animation been under hard times, the thought of the first CG animated film with a black girl as the female lead flopping would be depressing to say the least. It would tell animation studios that, sadly like with The Princess and the Frog, the audience just isn't there so representation can wait.

But the fact is, representation of all skin colors and cultures in family media (as well as everywhere obviously) is important because it teaches those kids who share color or culture with the character(s) to view themselves as beautiful, special, and worthy of being in the spotlight as well as teaches children of differing colors and cultures to see others as beautiful, special, and worthy of being in the spotlight. I believe representation can lead to appreciation rather than appropriation over time and I believe that media targeted at younger demographics should, whenever possible, be used as a way to highlight how we as people can have very clear differences such as color and culture, but also very clear similarities such as our basic human needs.

I say all of this with the caveat that I'm a very white girl, who doesn't understand the struggle to be a person of color so please don't think that I could ever speak for one - in fact go read this wonderful review that outlines why it's so important from the pov of a darling with beautiful, brown skin ♥ 

Given what this film's success could mean for the future, I'm pleased that the film has opened to a good box office. I'm less pleased by negative reviews that still don't seem to understand beyond a subjective level.

Is this film perfect? No. The first act of the film has some very serious pacing issues (it almost seems as though the beginning was reworked a few times to find the best way to get to the heart of the story). The story isn't the most profound in the world, but neither was Frozen's (which actually has a very similar theme, which will be the thing mostly touched on in this review), but thou shalt not critically analyze Frozen unless you are a 45+ year old male with no daughters or granddaughters. Were the Lilo & Stich comparisons inevitable? Well, yes, I think so. On the surface, it is about a girl, in a fractured setting complete with mean peers, that teaches a fugitive alien the value of meaningful relationships and then they save each other. But on the surface level you can replace girl and alien with just about any other character type and gender and arrive at the same story end. For one quick example, How To Train Your Dragon (since Chris Sanders helmed both) is about a misunderstood boy, in a fractured setting complete with mean peers, that teaches an unlikely friend the value of meaningful relationships and then they save each other. So, let's not pretend that male alien + human girl is a market cornered by Lilo & Stitch with no room for or value in expansion on the use of these motifs. Especially since the comparison would have likely flown over people's heads if Tip had been the same exact character only male (it would have likely been compared to E.T. but with less cynical bite). 

Tip

In spite of negative comments about how Tip is a bland teen girl horribly voice-acted by Rihanna, I see a beautiful girl who was spared the fate of everyone else on Earth (thanks to her beautiful cat - give me a moment) and is now forced to use all of the 7th grade cunning she can conjure to not only survive, but also try to figure out how to find her mom, Lucy, if she can. She's the feisty female character you expect from today's films geared, in part, towards girls, but they made sure not to make that all there is about her. One of the most poignant scenes is when Tip thinks Oh has drowned and she sits alone on her car hood over the middle of the ocean, very distressed. The imagery is very clear. She is just one small girl by herself in a vast sea of loneliness. When Oh returns, all of her "sad-mad" (which, wow, that's such a simple, but powerful term for kids who struggle with this feeling!) finally boils to the surface. We see that underneath the kick-butt attitude girls are expected to have to be strong, there's a vulnerable child. She's underage and she knows it. She's a kid and she doesn't want to be alone! She shouldn't have to be! Even though Oh wasn't even really her friend yet at this point and partly to blame for her predicament, as a Boov, even the thought of losing his companionship and what his presence represents (in helping her get her mother back) was enough to make this mostly static character show that it's ok for kids, and girls, alike to feel a little hopeless and in need of protection sometimes. It's not a bad thing! That said, she is mostly a static character and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. The story this film is telling requires that one of them already have the heroic moral compass by which the other is guided. They chose Tip to be that wonderfully spirited character who is so amazing (not boring!) that it brings about the salvation of the whole planet.

Oh

In spite of negative comments about how Oh is annoying and used too much for humorous antics all while Jim Parsons' talent is wasted, I see an endearingly confused and accident-proned character who longs for companionship, but lives in a society where that is not the norm, and is forced outside his small understanding of humanity. Unlike Tip, Oh is the non-static character. He doesn't understand humanity so he's the perfect vessel to show growth by. He's the one who takes the hero's journey, but only because he's guided by someone who already has the hero's heart beating inside her. I find his coming to grips with manners, emotions, etc. timelessly endearing. Even though he isn't the child in this narrative (although we don't know his mental age in Boov years), he has the childlike innocence that makes him perfectly relatable for the youngest moviegoers who may be just as confused about what Tip is going through. I also find the way he comes to adore Tip endearing because, think about it: if kids (or on a level of feminism, boys) connect more with Oh then they'll hopefully still have reason to connect with Tip and see her in the same positive light that Oh does. It's a potential win-win for our maligned heroine.

But now we come to the creme-de-la-crem that made me fall hard for this whimsical little movie that could. At the heart of this story is Tip and Oh as a team. Yes, Tip is fabulous and could have carried the movie by herself, with Oh downgraded to sidekick level, had that been the intention. Oh, as endearing as he is, couldn't carry the entire film by himself as he was written which is why it's good that he's a co-lead. What really moves this film along is their interaction and friendship.

One of the things that I love about their friendship is how genuine it feels. It's very obviously an instant connection. They connect because in spite of her outward appearance and quick mind, Tip needs a guiding force in her life again while her mom is away - she needs intelligent conversation, someone to have her back, something more than her cat (who I love just the same because I'm a cat person who loves seeing them represented in film in a good way as Pig is; dogs shouldn't get all the glory). They connect because in spite of the Boov way of life, Oh has somehow managed to transcend their low key hive mind tendencies and emotional disconnect just enough to be pliable - he needs intelligent conversation, someone to be the friend he desperately wants, something more than the hollow and homeless existence he's been living. They connect because they aren't all that different even if they're worlds apart. And throughout the film we see how they click just right. We see how Tip can challenge him to expand his outlook, that thing he's lacking in his life currently, and we see how he can protect her when she needs it most, that thing she's lacking in light of her mother's absence.

Hopefully I don't lose you here on this next part. But I believe the writers were clever in how they chose to present this friendship because it dances all around the implications of romance. That is, the songs used to underscore their relationship are romantic songs if listened to on their own. One particular song that stands out to me is Cannonball by Kiesza which plays during the turning point of Oh's feelings towards and understanding of Tip. The reason why I find it important that everything has just enough romantic connotation without ever going there in the film is twofold. (Although the Tip/Oh shippers will come, if they haven't already while I was writing this, mark my words.)

On the one hand, as a society we seem to have lost much of our ability to view friendship as strictly that and seem to need that underlying romantic friction (or else the misconception of there being underlying romantic friction) in order to sell something. If there is no chemistry, then it's boring to many of the people who will drive the overall longevity of a film (read: fandom). If there isn't that little something to pop off the screen or make them wonder about the relationship, then usually people simply won't talk about it, will make up unnecessary crossovers or so on. Essentially what I'm saying is for a bromance to work, there has to be just enough of the mance. By making this a bromance, they have possibly broadened the appeal of the film and that's important.

On the other hand, and more to the point, the whole driving force of this film is how Oh literally falls head over...tentacles?.. in love with Tip. He falls for this feisty girl - beautiful brown skin, strange music, hope and all. Just like Pixar's Brave played on the motif of true love by telling a story where a mother and daughter falling back in love with one another was deemed just as, if not more, important than the kind of love that leads to marriage, this movie is telling a story about how the deepest relationships have to have love or there is no point. Home is literally where the heart is. Without love, the place you live is just as non special as any other place - which we see underscored by the short fantasy that Oh has where he imagines Antartica as a great place to call home simply because he was loved by penguins. Oh finds his heart and, thus, finds a home at last.

This theme about love (similar to Frozen) is boldly underlined about ten times over by making Tip's driving force the deep love she and her mother share. It's vital that we see Tip constantly replaying her mother's video. It's crucial that we hear Tip gushing about how much she admires her mother. Tip choosing her mother over her new friend even if it clearly hurts her to do so on a more shallow level is so very important. Tip is teaching Oh about more than just what it means to have a home or a family. Tip is teaching Oh, and his learning this lesson is meant to teach the audience, that emotions hurt and are strange -something we see so cleverly portrayed when Oh is running his gamut of colors in confusion- but loving others so deeply it can hurt and fighting for that love is worth it.

Oh first thinks that by saving Tip he is expressing his newfound love for her and he is, but it's a more shallow, chivalric love that is partially guided by his selfishness. He doesn't want to lose her. And there's nothing wrong with that because it's growth on his part, but because he's never made a connection with Lucy and because he's ignoring the more potent love Tip already has for her, that thing that makes up part of who she is as a person, he doesn't quite get it yet. Loving someone means putting yourself in danger if that's what it takes - even when you don't understand. At that point, Tip doesn't care if she dies with her mom so long as she gets to her whereas Oh is still too motivated by fear and lack of understanding that he can't fathom dying with Tip just because of somebody SHE loves. And that's what makes the dramatic climax extremely heartfelt in my opinion.

Without the build up, without driving that wedge between them temporarily, it would have been a cliche hero moment without much emotional weight when Oh chooses to die if that's what it takes. It's emotional because not only has he already once again done everything in his power to save Tip, and Lucy this time, only to have Tip outsmart him (which I love by the way), ultimately when his efforts are not enough he finally turns to Tip for her help in this thing that's bigger than him. But that doesn't mean he still won't follow through on his drive to save her at all costs, so he risks giving his all to save Tip, her mother, humanity, and the Boov once and for all.

It's in that moment that everything Tip has taught him comes pouring out and it's Earth-shatteringly beautiful. 

People can keep their negativity towards this film and its characters, especially Tip, if they really must have it. But I for one fell in love with this whimsical little film. Some of the gags may not have been sophisticated; some of the tropes may have been overused or even pandering. However, I simply cannot dismiss a film that so wonderfully spotlights diversity and gives us a character we desperately need while portraying her as multifaceted and inherently endowed with greatness that can change the world. I cannot dismiss a film that gives us an escape into a fantasy with two characters that, in my opinion, truly do sparkle on screen together in spite of what others might think to the contrary. It's not the weightiest film in the world if you look through a lens of adult cynicism, but if you pay attention, the film is still being profoundly deep all the more so because it reaches a level of simplistic deepness that has the power to affect children (I didn't touch on it, but ironically, there's also a hidden gem in the film about how we need to chill out with all our confused ways and protect the future generation). I can only hope that this little film finds the long legs at the box office that it deserves. At the very least, I'm just so happy that it exists.