Meanwhile, the young boy, named Carl, does not lose his adventurous spirit. He comes across a like-minded young girl named Ellie and the two become fast friends. What follows is a montage of life as Carl and Ellie grow up, get married, buy the ramshackle home they used to play in, begin to save for their dream journey to Venezuela, and deal with all of life's unforeseen difficulties. Life always intervenes when they begin to get on a roll. As old age sets in, life intervenes one last time and Carl finds himself alone. He becomes something of a hermit, an old curmudgeon who seems to live to keep people off his yard.
This entire sequence is told with such care and heart that I found it difficult to not be affected. It is a romance handled with such genuine emotion and realism that it hit home more than many live-action romances. It tells a beautiful story of two people together that you almost forget about everything else, but before you know it Carl is alone and the next stage of his life, and the primary story, begins.
Carl worked with balloons during his working years (we learn this during the opening montage), and this gives him the idea to pay tribute to Ellie and realize the dream of traveling to the mysterious plateau in Venezuela. He blows up thousands of balloons, attaches them to the house, and lifts it right off of its foundation. Off he goes, heading out on the adventure of a lifetime.
Tagging along is young Wilderness Scout Russell, seeking his "Aiding the Elderly" badge. Why is he there? Well, stop looking under the porch for fake birds sounds like a good reason, no?
Before long, they are at the mysterious plateau and it is here that the real adventure truly begins. No, I am not going to tell you what happens, but it is magical and real at the same time. The tale walks the fine line between realism and believable fantasy. The characters are so genuine and fully formed that it is easy to forget they are animated, although their adventure rarely lets you forget. It is a wonderful balance.
Article comments
1 - Mellaly
i like this Film, Year in and year out, Pixar's films tickle the imagination and bring a level of intelligence rarely seen in animation, much less cinema at large