All you have heard and read about Up, the movie is correct. It is touching, charming, and funny, an enjoyable movie for both children and adults. The graphics were amazing and a truly wondrous movie to see on the big screen. All things you expect from a Pixar movie. Although, I did think the 3D version was overrated and not worth the extra $3.00.
But from a single mom’s perspective, I found the entire sequence between Carl Fredricksen and his wife Ellie simply depressing. I realize the writers needed a plot mechanism to explain how and why Carl turned out to be cantankerous, scary and lonely old man but the montage was just too perfect.
The montage shows how they met as children, Ellie being the more exuberant and adventurous one, Carl the shy and reticent boy, planning for a baby, losing the baby, not being able to conceive, unexpected occurrences that kept them from being able to achieve their dream of going to South America, happily growing old together, and finally death.
Yes, it’s sentimental, beautifully photographed in its silence and you just want to hug and befriend Carl but as a single mom, I just felt like wow, my love life will never be like this movie (not that it should). It left me somewhat hopeless and sad that I will never have the loving and caring relationship that Carl and Ellie had.
