Why you need to go see Elio (Pixar Elio review)

Read on for my Elio review:

In the past 10 years, we’ve seen 15 different Pixar films released. After seeing Elio, I would probably rate it around number 5 or 6. Most likely in the top third of Pixar movies from the last decade.

And yet, Elio had the worst box office opening weekend in Pixar history.

This is, in my opinion, a darn shame. Perhaps Elio is not a masterpiece, but it’s a really excellent movie that brings to the table a lot of what Pixar does best. It’s funny, exciting, heartfelt, and takes a unique approach to a relatable theme.

Why the movie had such a poor opening weekend could probably be speculation for a different blog post. (You could also read the last section of my Elemental review, where I discussed “unique struggles with today’s films.” Some of those are still relevant here).

But I wanted to write an Elio review to share what I loved about the movie. Along with a healthy dose of criticism, of course – there are some things I would have changed, or areas where I found some flaws. But maybe I can convince you to go see it. 

Because Elio surprised me. It didn’t feel like what I expected from the trailers, and I hadn’t even heard that much about it. And I think this movie needs to be seen, and original films need to be supported.

Please note: minor spoilers will follow within this Elio review.

The plot

Elio is a lonely boy whose parents have passed away, and he’s been raised by his aunt Olga. He’s struggled with fitting in everywhere he goes, and ultimately comes to the conclusion that Earth is not the place for him. He becomes obsessed with outer space in the way that children get heavily invested in a passion, and this evolves into him attempting to get abducted by aliens.

Amazingly, Elio actually succeeds, and finds himself being beamed up. Here here encounters the Communiverse, a group of aliens from all over the galaxy. They mistake him for Earth’s leader and extend him an invitation. But before he can officially join, the Communiverse is threatened by the intimidating Lord Grigon. No one is willing to negotiate with Lord Grigon – except Elio.

When Elio embarks on this next adventure, he finds himself face to face with his foe’s son, Glordon. The two instantly bond over feeling like they don’t belong and become good friends… but of course, Lord Grigon is not okay with that. Elio – and Glordon – must figure out where they really belong in the universe.

What Pixar does best

One thing that the best Pixar films have excelled at is coming up with unique ideas, or taking a common trope and turning it on its head, but doing so in a way that feels real and relatable.

At the heart, these movies are never truly about what it looks like on the surface. They are imaginative vessels to share mostly universal themes. Toy Story isn’t just about a fun film where toys come to life – it’s about growing older and learning how the world changes, and figuring out what your identity is in that world. Up isn’t really about a house that can fly because of balloons tied to it – it’s about handling grief and still living despite life’s struggles.

Monsters Inc. flipped the script by giving us monsters who make people laugh instead of scream. Elio does something similar with a main character who actually wants to get abducted by aliens.

But Elio isn’t just about an 11-year-old boy getting abducted by aliens and having a buddy film with his new alien BFF. It’s about grappling with loneliness and our search for belonging.

So ultimately we have the formula here for what the best Pixar movies do. Elio presents a fun, creative storyline that is appealing to kids, while still having an important universal message at its heart that almost anyone can relate to.

Highlights

Elio has a good balance of appeal for both kids and adults. I personally loved Soul and Elemental, but I think those movies had a pretty strong adult appeal. Many of the themes (or the way they were approached) felt a little more mature.

This film felt much more kid-friendly, and the kids in our theater seemed to enjoy it. It’s bright and colorful, with Elio experiencing lots of fun things in the Communiverse. There’s a wacky cast of unique aliens too.

You get some good laughs here as well. The first time Elio tries to contact the aliens, he’s not sure how to end the message. So he awkwardly ends up saying “Okay, bye, love you” before ending the transmission. The aliens took that to be Earth’s traditional farewell phrase, and said “Okay, bye, love you” every time Elio (or any earthling) left.

The main characters are well developed and interesting, particularly Elio and Glordon. It’s a bit heart wrenching to hear the two new best friends share their struggles. Glordon tells Elio how hard it is not to be what his father truly wants. He shares, “I’ve been a liability, a disappointment. I’ve also been an enigma, a problem, a headache.”

And Elio confesses, “Back home, I didn’t fit in. I thought Earth was the problem. But… what if it’s me?”

While the plot is somewhat predictable, the ending has a little bit of a twist that keeps things interesting. It ends up in a place that you might not always have guessed, but is fitting with the vibe of the film.

Weak spots

If there’s a weak point in Elio, it’s probably the plot itself. It’s pretty predictable. That’s not always a terrible thing – especially in a movie made for kids. It may not be as predictable to them as it is to us.

There are a few other plot points that feel a bit weak or questionable – the casual use of cloning had my brain going in a few interesting directions – but overall the story was pretty solid, even if it was a little obvious.

The same goes for the themes and message of the movie, which can feel a bit overt at times. This is particularly true at the end, when I think a little more of “show, don’t tell” would have helped.

Finally, I feel like the title of the movie is a bit of a weak spot. It doesn’t give you much indication of what the movie is about. Luca is like that as well. I do wonder if a different title (as well as more/better marketing) might have given this one a better chance at the box office.

The themes in Elio

The movie has some really great themes in Elio that I think give a lot of heart to what would otherwise be a mediocre movie. They are also presented in a way that I think is relatable to both kids and adults. Below are just some of my general thoughts on some of these themes.

Loneliness and belonging

The movie cleverly has Elio obsessed with the question asked by Carl Sagan: “Are we alone in the universe?”

Elio struggles with loneliness and feeling like he is alone in every sense. Alone in the world. Once he discovers aliens do exist, he knows he is not alone. But as we slowly see throughout the movie, he does have a parental figure who loves him. He has the opportunity to make friends. So was he ever really alone?

Part of Elio’s loneliness comes from grief, as he has lost both of his parents. Interestingly, Pixar treats this theme in a way that is still emotional without letting the heaviness take over the movie. It’s a delicate balance that I think is pulled off well.

Interest in extraterrestrial existence

Playing off of the last theme, the movie touches on why humans are so interested in outer space. There is something intriguing about the unknown, and what could be. Maybe when life gets tough, we like to imagine there is the possibility of something better out there.

The idea that aliens could exist gives us a blank slate – we can imagine what they are like, and what they will do (at least to the extent that our human brains have the capacity to do so). Elio does all of this in the movie. He has to believe that aliens exist because if he doesn’t, and if they don’t want him, he feels like he’s not wanted anywhere.

And perhaps understanding what is out in the universe a bit better will also help us better understand ourselves.

Parenting

Elio’s Aunt Olga is thrust into the role of parent even though it wasn’t what she wanted in life. Lord Grigon expected a son who would follow in his footsteps and become an exemplary soldier, but he got a child who wanted the opposite of that life.

At the end of the day, neither of them are bad people. They’re not even bad parents. They are just experiencing how hard it is to be a parent – but in the end, it’s all worth it. They truly do want to do what’s best for their children. It’s just that sometimes it’s hard to know what that thing is.

I am not a parent, but I was able to watch this movie with someone who is.

I think the parenting aspect of the movie struck a strong chord with him. Because being a parent isn’t easy. It can be really hard. As he said, in Elio “we see how the aunt realizes that this difficulty is ultimately okay. When she got the son she ‘wanted’ (who turned out to be fake), well, it’s just not the same.”

You may not always understand your kid. But you love them, and support them, and help them grow. And having that love and support is what they truly need.

Ultimately, Elio might not feel like it’s a groundbreaking piece of art in the way that Toy Story or Wall-E was. But I don’t think every movie has to be. This one is sweet, fun, engaging, heartwarming, and has some great themes. It’s well worth the watch.