christian movie review turning red

Disney’s Turning Red, A Review and Warning For Christian Parents

(Reformation Charlotte) Disney has released a new movie that targets young children, but the content of the movie is definitely not for Christians. The movie, Turning Red , is about “a 13-year-old girl who is torn between being her mother’s obedient daughter and the chaos of her youth….

As if that were not enough, when she gets too excited, she turns into a big red panda.”

Not only does this movie appear to make subtle suggestions about the LGBTQ and transgender ideologies that children are faced with at a very young age, but the notion that rebellion against parents is clearly a rebellion against God. This movie glorifies that rebellion and teaches children that they can be rewarded for disobedience.  View article →

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TURNING RED

"suppressing the beast within".

What You Need To Know:

Miscellaneous Immorality: Teenage girl disobeys and defies her mother, who’s a bit strict.

More Detail:

Set in 2002, TURNING RED is an animated Pixar comedy on Disney+ about a 13-year-old girl in Toronto, Canada who magically transforms into a giant red panda and causes some mischief in her Chinese family and her school, much to the chagrin of her stern mother. TURNING RED has a lively, fun plot and colorful animation, with a big finish, strong characters and some pro-family themes, but the movie is marred by false theology, including references to ancestor worship, Zen Buddhism, magical transformations, and polytheism.

Narrated off and on by the young heroine, the movie begins with 13-year-old Meilin (“My-lin”) saying how happy she is about the coming school year. Mei also celebrates her independence and mentions her four friends. Mei and her friends are big fans of the newest boy band, 4*Town. At the end of the first day of the school year, Mei’s friends invite her to come with them to a listening party, but Mei declines, saying she must go home and do some work for her mother.

The work turns out to be sweeping and getting ready for people to visit the family’s little temple. The temple turns out to hold an altar to her mother’s ancestors, especially its grand matriarch who loved red pandas. Mei explains to viewers that her family doesn’t worship any gods but worships their ancestors.

Mei and her friends are huge fans of the new boy band 4*Town. They learn that the band’s tour will play in Toronto soon. Mei asks her mother if she can go to the concert, but Mei’s mother is totally opposed to boy bands and Mei going out anywhere with her friends. Mei stalks angrily away to her room.

The next morning, Mei has turned into a large red panda. Her mother calls her to breakfast. Mei panics and tries to hide, but she keeps knocking things over in her room. Her mother bursts into the room and calms her down. She explains to Mei that changing into a large red panda runs in their family among the women. She says the red panda appears whenever the girls have a strong emotion, especially anger. The mother explains that the original ancestor asked the gods to change her into a large red panda to protect her family and village during wartime. The only way to get rid of the “curse” is for the oldest male in the family, Mei’s grandfather, to perform a ritual on the next red moon.

At school, Mei tries to hide her red panda, but her friends find out about it. Then, Mei has a bright idea. They can charge their classmates to see the red panda. The money they get from that will help pay Mei’s way to the boy band’s concert, against her mother’s wishes. Soon, Mei has a thriving red panda business. She and her friends even make red panda hats and T-shirts to sell.

Things don’t go quite as they planned, however. Mei must overcome some big, comical obstacles, not the least of which is her nosy, overprotective mother. Will Mei be able to attend the concert? Will Mei be able to banish the red panda from her life?

TURNING RED has a lively, fun plot and colorful animation. Also, the characters are well drawn, both psychologically and visually. That said, Disney clearly pulled this Pixar movie from theatrical release because it doesn’t quite meet the standards of Pixar’s best efforts, such as the TOY STORY movies, FINDING NEMO, UP, and THE INCREDIBLES. However, it’s a solid piece of entertainment that flows smoothly and leads to a somewhat spectacular ending. So, it could have had a perfectly respectable theatrical showing at the box office. Disney will never know.

Thematically and dramatically, the movie’s strongest parts are the relationships between Mei and her mother and Mei and her friends. Ultimately, TURNING RED is a celebration of female empowerment, but not in a radical feminist way that’s annoying. As such, it’s an engaging coming-of-age comedy where the heroine, Mei, learns to function as an independent person, strengthen her bonds with her close female friends and reconciles with her strict mother. Despite the conflict between Mei and her mother, the resolution of that conflict isn’t a rejection of family but, ultimately, an affirmation of the family ties that bind mother and daughter and bind parents and children together. Also, the movie teaches its targeted audience, mostly teenage girls, to tame the beastly parts of them that lurk within their psyche. This can be a valuable lesson, even for boys, but it needs Christian, biblical reference points and application.

Within this complex dynamic, TURNING RED sadly includes references to Chinese ancestor worship. At one point, for example, in Mei’s narration, Mei says that her family doesn’t worship any gods, but they do worship their ancestors, especially the family’s grand matriarch. Also, at another point, Mei says that the family’s grand matriarch prayed to “the gods” during a time of war that the gods imbue her with the power of the red panda so she could defend her family. That’s when she received the ability to transform herself into a large red panda. Mei’s mother and grandmother have come to view this ability as a curse. So, the movie’s premise involves whether Mei herself will see the red panda power as a curse or a boon.

Ultimately, therefore, TURNING RED has a mixed worldview with pro-family elements and false religion. TURNING RED also has about two overt references to being Zen-like to help her remain cool and control the red panda withing her. These moments are references to the Buddhist sect of Zen Buddhism, where the practitioner seeks to clarify the mind, pacify the mind, unite mind and body, and realize the interconnectedness of all things. As with all major Buddhist sexts, Zen Buddhism’s ultimate goal is to recognize “impurities,” such as greed, anger and ignorance, letting them go, and achieving “enlightenment,” which involves a kind of emptiness, purity of desire and action, calmness of mind, perfect discernment of what is true and false and what is harmful and not harmful, and emotional “balance.” As the most recent of many Rimboches said in terms of another sect of Buddhism: “life is a cesspool, so let go.” As I responded to one of his disciples from Harvard, who came to Jesus Christ, “it is a fallen world, but Jesus is reaching out to you to pull you out of the cesspool so you will have a more abundant eternal life.”

Of course, Jesus Christ and His apostles in the New Testament teach that purity of desire and action and discernment of Truth and Goodness only comes through repentance, through faith and trust in Jesus Christ and His Gospel, through an ongoing personal relationship with Jesus, through reading and living according to God’s word, which is found in the Holy Bible, and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

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A Young Girl’s Coming of Age Film

What did I just watch? That was my very first thought as the credits were rolling. I will attempt to break down the good, the bad, and the absolute cringy in Disney Pixar’s latest animated movie. This Disney Pixar Turning Red Christian Movie Review will give you the info you need before watching this movie with your family.

Synopsis of Disney Pixar Turning Red: Christian Movie Review for Parents

From Disney: “Disney and Pixar’s “Turning Red” introduces Mei Lee (voice of Rosalie Chiang), a confident, dorky 13-year-old torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Her protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming (voice of Sandra Oh), is never far from her daughter—an unfortunate reality for the teenager. And as if changes to her interests, relationships and body weren’t enough, whenever she gets too excited (which is practically ALWAYS), she “poofs” into a giant red panda! Directed by Academy Award® winner Domee Shi (Pixar short “Bao”) and produced by Lindsey Collins…”

Mei Lee is a 13-year-old girl living in Chinatown in Toronto, Canada, with her over-the-top mother, Ming, and her mostly silent Dad. She makes plans with her 3 best friends, Miriam, Priya, and Abby to see the boy-band, 4*Town. (For the cast of voice characters, see the end of the review.)

The movie centers around Mei’s 8th-grade class experiences and her perfect grades. There is a conflict between her and her mom. She wants to spend time with her friends, but family duties, loyalties, and studying get in the way. 

Oh, and when Mei gets upset or angry, she turns into an 8-foot red panda that can be smelly and destructive.

Turning Red Christian Movie Review: The Good, the Bad and the Cringy Content:

In my movie reviews, I try to give parents enough information to make informed decisions before watching a movie with their children. However, not every parent objects to all content that I may mention. Additionally, I don’t object to everything that I personally mention. In this Turning Red Christian Movie Review, I will try to highlight the good, the bad, and the things that had me cringing.

I have to admit that this movie had me reflecting on my childhood, the good and bad decisions I made, the conflict I had with my parents, and how I vowed I would do things differently. While I did do some things differently with my own kids, I did realize that many of the things my parents did and said helped keep me safe and healthy.

Share this review on Social Media to help other Christian parents make informed decisions!

The red panda is cute and seems aimed at appealing to young children. However, overall there is so much preteen and teen content that this movie will be confusing to watch for a young child. This is billed as a coming-of-age movie and deals with themes such as menstruation and sexual attraction. 

Do you know how big red pandas really get? See here to find out!

Obviously, Turning Red is a metaphor for the changes a young girl experiences when she goes through puberty. However, I didn’t get that reference before watching the film. 

In much of the film, Mei lies to her mother and sneaks around.

While there are no swear words in the film, there is one use of OMG and a few ”potty language” moments.

However, there are so many uncomfortable moments. I truly believe that we should be open and honest with our children, and boys and girls need to learn about menstruation and sexual feelings. Are you ready to have these conversations with your children?

“Has the red peony bloomed?” Mei’s mother asks her, thinking that she has started her period. Her mother brings in bottles of Tylenol, Midol, and packages of sanitary napkins.

Mei Lee says to her mother, “I like boys. I like loud music. I like gyrating. I’m 13 – deal with it.”

“She’s so brainwashed.” This is in response to Mei not going along with her friends.

“My panda. My choice” is spoken. Obviously, this is a play on “my body, my choice.”

Sexual Content:

While there is no “sex” involved in this movie, there are plenty of references to the coming-of-age feelings a young girl may experience.

In one scene the red panda dances and shakes her butt.

Mei draws pictures of a boy she has a crush on. One drawing shows him shirtless and she is in his arms. Her mom finds the drawings. The audience does not see all of the drawings, but her mom asks, “Did he do these things to you?”

In another scene, Mei wrestles with her feelings and says, “What were you thinking drawing those things? Those horrible sexy things?”

“We are walking into the concert girls and walking out women.” I am unsure of what is implied by this. Is it just because this will be their first concert?

Violent Content:

While there is little violence, Mei (as a panda) does attack a boy and destroy things. Her parents warn her that there is a dark side to the panda. She is put in a room with just a mattress on the floor. We see claw marks on the door of the room later.

There is plenty of property damage from the giant red panda.

Spiritual Content: 

Mei’s mom is the temple keeper . In addition to taking care of the temple, Mei and her mom also give tours of the temple. This is a beautiful representation of Mei’s Asian heritage. The attention to detail in how they care for the temple, the cleaning, the prayers, and the respect shown is admirable.

Praying to ancestors is a Chinese custom. These are some of the lines you will hear in the movie: “Instead of honoring a god, we honor our ancestors.”

“Our ancestors are mystically connected to red pandas.”

“The gods granted her wish.”

“On the next red moon, you’ll undergo a ritual.”

“I’ll give you anything. Money. My kidney. My soul.”

During the ritual, there is chanting. This ritual is to return the red panda spirit from where it came. During the ritual, the person crosses to another “dimension” and encounters their dead ancestor. The spirit of the red panda is removed and placed inside a charm or necklace to be contained. (Maybe I am not explaining this correctly, but this is my interpretation of what occurred during the film).

There is a nightmare sequence where statues have glowing eyes and Mei’s family temple is destroyed.

There are also other religious symbols in the movie such as a Sikh dastar or turban (head covering), Muslim hijab, and other religious coverings.

Other Content:

Mei’s mother keeps her own secrets. She has not shared with her daughter about her childhood and what she went through when she became a panda herself.

Mei’s mother is completely overbearing and intervenes way too often. She marches down to the corner store to confront the young clerk who is oblivious that Mei has feelings for him. She stalks her own daughter, hiding behind a tree at school and hanging out in her car across from the playground.

My Recommendation for Viewing Disney Pixar Turning Red: Christian Movie Review for Parents

While I advocate using movies to teach and don’t shy away from movies with different religious beliefs, I just don’t even know what to say about this film. Certainly, all movies can be used to teach, but is the religious ritual content too much for your family to handle? This is a question only you can answer for your family.

Next, I truly believe this movie is aimed at 8-15-year-old girls. As a mom with 4 sons and 1 daughter, I could see how this movie is not relatable to boys or men. While we want to discuss these topics with our boys, and this movie may be what a parent wants to jumpstart that discussion, I just feel that it misses the mark.

It seems many of Disney’s movies center around rebelling against your parents. Rapunzel (her mother really was an evil person), Ariel, Mulan, Luca, and so many others fit in this theme. But with many films, there is the understanding that while youth rebel and pull away from their parents, the parents are not entirely wrong. Take for example King Triton – while Ariel really did need to lead her own life, the price she paid was too high and she needed her father to fix her mess.

Comparing Turning Red with Mulan

However, let’s compare Mulan and Turning Red. In Mulan, she leaves her family home and lies about who she is to protect her family. In Turning Red, Mei lies to her parents, and sneaks around to go see a boy band. Do you see the difference? 

Is Disney just blatantly trying to get kids to rebel against their parents? Or are they really thinking they are doing a great service? Either way, this “coming of age” film omits the fact that 13 year olds consider themselves adults, but if they go out and get in trouble it is still the parent’s responsibility to help clean up the mess created.

From a spiritual standpoint, if you watch this film, make sure to talk with your children about ancestor worship, praying to gods, and the rituals that take place in this film. What does the Bible say about these practices?

One last thought: Am I the only one that thought that Priya looked like Mirabel from Encanto?

Movie Details:

Release Date: March 10, 2022

Rating PG for thematic material, suggestive content and language.

Runtime: 1 hour and 40 minutes

Director: Domee Shi

Producer: Lindsey Collins

Rosalie Chiang as Meilin “Mei” Lee

Sandra Oh as Ming Lee (Mei’s mother)

Ava Morse as Miriam (friend) – Ron’s Gone Wrong

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as  Priya (friend)

Helen Park as Abby (friend)

Orion Lee as Jin Lee (father)

Wai Ching Ho as Grandmother

James Hong as Mr. Gao

Tristan Allerick Chen as Tyler

Addie Chandler as Devon

Other voice characters: Lori Tann Chinn, Mia Tagano, Sherry Cola, Lillian Lim, James Hong, Sasha Roiz, and Lily Sanfelippo.

Other Fun Facts About Disney Pixar Turning Red:

Director Domee Shi has said she based the movie on her experiences growing up in Chinatown in Toronto, Canada.

The color red was used for the panda because it does represent your period, but also being angry or embarrassed. These are feelings that women can remember surrounding their periods.

Additionally, the director is a fan of Japanese animation like “Sailor Moon” so you may see scenes that remind you of that style.

More Fun Facts:

To represent Toronto, Canada in 2002, Pixar’s team used subtle details such as milk sold in bags, background characters with t-shirts reading “Oot and Aboot” and “Don’t Moose with Me.” Additionally, the graphics in background items represented the era.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Is this movie about menstruation? Absolutely. The director herself said it was about periods. But it is also about the conflicts that a young teen girl feels. Doing the right thing according to your parents, or doing what she wants to do.

What time period is this movie set? It is Toronto, Canada in 2002. The director was 13 in 2002. She lived in Toronto.

What are the names of the singers in 4*Town? There are 5 members of 4*Town. Robaire, Jesse, Aaron T., Tae Young, and Aaron Z.

What is the tower in the background of the film?

The iconic CN Tower is shown multiple times, and so is the SkyDome.

What does the color red represent in Chinese culture?

Red symbolizes good fortune, luck, joy, and happiness.

What does the red panda represent in Chinese culture?

In China, the red panda is a symbol of peace and friendship.

What are the songs that 4*Town sings?

Nobody Like U; 1 True Love; U know What’s Up. The original score was created by Ludwig Goransson and the songs were written by songwriters Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell.

Where can you watch Turning Red? Is Turning Red on Netflix?

Turning Red can be found streaming on Disney+ on March 11, 2022. Turning Red is not on Netflix.

What positive messages does Turning Red have?

Besides the lessons about puberty and big feelings and emotions. Turning Red can be used to discuss the awkward and intense feelings that both girls and boys experience during puberty.

Furthermore, there is plenty of representation within this movie. There is a girl who has a visible diabetes insulin pump.

What is the controversy regarding Disney Pixar Turning Red?

Turning Red has had some controversial reviews. Many of these reviews are due to the PG rating versus a PG13 rating. This is the first Pixar movie that has addressed controversial topics. Also, the movie was marketed at Disney Jr. watchers. Disney Jr. would be ages 3-7. This movie was not made for that audience.

Additionally, there appears to be some talk about the fact that Disney cut some LGBTQ+ content or scenes.

Another point to look at is that this movie encourages teens to embrace their inner beast. However, as a Christian, I believe you embrace the Holy Spirit and allow God to direct your life, not your “inner beast.”

What does Mei’s dad say to her?

“People have all kinds of sides to them. And some sides are messy. The point isn’t to push the bad stuff away. It’s to make room for it; live with it.”

What Easter Eggs can be found in Turning Red?

The Pixar Ball can be found in a swimming pool at Tyler’s birthday party.

There is a sticker on a skateboard that represents Buzz Lightyear.

Toy Story Pizza Planet Truck is one of the Easter Eggs that can be found in every Pixar movie except The Incredibles. It is found near the Skydome.

A113 which is the reference to a classroom at California Institue of The Arts. It is used near the Skydome and as a seat number on a concert ticket.

A clownfish sticker is on a door that represents Finding Nemo.

Meilin draws a merman which is a nod to Luca.

There are several moments where we see bao buns which makes a nod to the Pixar short film Bao.

Abby’s clothes really look like Boo’s door from Monster’s Inc.

There are flags hanging from buildings while Mei as a panda is running home. These look similar to the ones found in Coco.

You can see the gem from Onward in the science classroom. There is a sticker from the animated short Burrow.

What Movies Can My Family Watch Instead of Turning Red?

Luca is a cute movie that many parents have liked. REVIEW HERE!

Here you can find a list of all the movies that I have reviewed over the years. HERE

To learn about the real Red Pandas, their habits, habitats, and more click here!

Other Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the big deal with saying “my panda, my choice”.

Children often repeat lines that they hear in movies. My Panda, My Choice, is a play on my body, my choice which is a saying that is popular among those who advocate for abortion on demand. Furthermore, the movies, sayings, and books that children watch often influence their thoughts and feelings on issues without them even being aware.

Many people are saying that the main objections to this movie are the topic of periods and puberty. Is that what you think the main objection is?

My main objection to Turning Red is the spiritual content. I would never have a Shaman stand in my living room and perform a ritual like the one that is depicted in the movie. I do want my children to learn about other cultures and religions, but I don’t want those religious ceremonies performed in my home.

Reviewing movies for parents from a Christian perspective since 2005. Know Before You Go!

Christian Homeschooling mom – 30 years and counting

Autism Mom & Disney enthusiast

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Schooling with disney’s pinocchio movie plus review, 60 thoughts on “disney pixar turning red christian movie review”.

Dear Patty,

With love and care, I would like to share my thoughts with you. Thank you for taking the time to write a review. As a Christian parent, I can tell that you tried to be careful and as objective as possible while writing your review. However, at times we must stand up for the sake of truth, no matter if people label us as fanatics or something alike. If a film is supposedly marketed for an audience of 3-7, but the fact is that this movie is for 13+, then something is wrong. People at Disney are not naive, so this apparent mistake was on purpose to expose younger kids to content that is inappropriate for their age, not to mention that one of the characters in the movie (the “girl” in green) is a boy that pretends to be a girl. Disney is an advocate for LGBT lobbying, and they are trying to indoctrinate our kids with their ideology by using as an attractive means an animation movie about a red panda. This is not surprising to me. I would strongly recommend to avoid this movie for Christians at any age. (I didn’t watch it myself, but saw a 10 minute summary, that was enough).

God bless you.

Caleb: I know that there are Christians of every denomination that read my reviews. I try to inform parents about what is in the movie, and allow them to make their own decisions, and they are the ones that are ultimately responsible to God for what they allow their children to do.

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I started watching Turning Red lastnight with my 6 year old niece and was uncomfortable the whole time and wanted to just turn it off. Then right when I was getting really antsy about it, the TV lost its internet connection and couldn’t get a signal. I sighed with relief and never finished it. Everything you hit on stuck out to me as well. Thank you for putting it out there.

Thank you for your feedback. God does work in mysterious ways!

I forgot to add this but another thing is that as a Christian, I found Mei Mei’s religion uncomfortable to watch. My mom and I had to fast forward those scenes so it would not hinder our faith.

At least in Mulan, Pocahontas, and even Coco, the pagan religions were subtle.

Absolutely. I would not welcome someone in my home to perform those rituals, and I don’t want them in my living room. Blessings, Patty

I regret watching the movie, Turning Red because it was cringing and embarrassing. Yes, Disney and Pixar had made other movies about children rebelling their parents but at least they were sympathetic and/or their actions were understandable. For Mei Mei, what was her excuse? Yes, it stinks that she can’t go to the concert but her mom had a valid reason: she’ll get too excited and turn into a Panda. There was no need to lie and sneak out to go to Tyler’s party. It was hard to root for her to be independent or grow her voice because she’s 13, and is still technically a minor who has to obey her parents until she becomes a legal age. Whatever she secretly likes really is bad. It’s normal for her to like boys and loud music, but who the heck likes gyrating? I don’t know anyone that does. As an adult, I found the movie to be too juvenile but I can’t imagine children under 12 enjoying this, either. Other than encouraging rebellion and lying, the movie also promotes the idea that friends are better than your family. Another thing is that Rapunzel, Ariel, Moana, Luca, Remy, Nemo, and Miguel, were actually kind people so, when they rebelled, I thought either, “Okay, they’re not thinking straight,” or “No, don’t make those bad decisions!” They also suffer consequences from making those bad decisions. With Mei Mei, I thought, “Wow, what a jerk!” She was as her school principal described her, “A mildly annoying young lady.” I didn’t like how she was mean to Tyler when she said she’ll come to her party but won’t give him any presents. Kid, it is customary to give the birthday boy/girl presents. Pixar usually makes movies that promote family over anything so I was dumbfounded with Turning Red, they promoted this message that friends-even if they are bad influence-are better than family and that rebellion and sneaking out behind your mother’s back is good.

I would have liked Turning Red a bit more if Mei Mei actually suffered consequences for sneaking out and lying (giving up her Panda for good) and if someone tells her mother that although her daughter is not perfect, that doesn’t mean that she’s not worthy of love. Are there any movies in which it’s the kid that is in the wrong; not the parent?

I agree. We rarely see consequences for lying or disobeying. In fact, in Turning Red, at the end Mei goes off with her friends while her parents work to replace the Skydome. Blessings, Patty

I think this movie encourages disobedience and lying to parents. It introduces concepts of demonic possession and glorifies spirits being attached to ones soul and makes it look attractive to kids. .very bad…

I think the demonic element bothered me more than anything else. However, most Christians are desensitized to content like that. Blessings, Patty

So let me get this straight: this movie is uncomfortable and ‘un-Christian’ (🙄) for being about a body function that’s a part of existence as a human being? Also, the ancestor honouring is wrong, so along with everything else, this movie’s not for kids? You Christian fundies are something else.

Thank you for writing so well about this movie! I had no pre-conceived thoughts and really appreciated such a balanced Christian perspective. You have confirmed that it’s a skip for our young family!

Thank you for your comments. I am glad my review helped your family. Blessings, Patty

Hello. I heard things about this movie that had me concerned so I went looking for a Christian perspective. Thank you for going to such detail. I typically search out reviews before watching anything with the family, especially because I have 2 on the autism spectrum, ages 20 and 16, a 17 year old, and my bonus boy who is 9. Trying to find something that is appropriate for all of us can be quite a challenge. I can clearly see from what you’ve written here this is not going to be something we can watch together without being prepared for major discussions. And I will certainly be bookmarking your site for future reference. Thanks again!

Thank you! If there are movies you would like to see reviewed, I am open to suggestions. While I can’t review everything, I try to review the most popular G and PG movies (and occasionally a PG-13).

I did watch this with my 17 year old autistic son. The 2nd time it was on (I was watching it with my husband – we were asked to be on a podcast), my son didn’t even come in the room. That speaks volumes about his thoughts on it.

Blessings, Patty

Excellent, Excellent review. Thank you for thoroughly and thoughtfully applying a Christian worldview to this film. I’ll be sharing this and returning again for other films. You’re using your gifts to honor Christ. God bless you!!

Chris: I cried while reading your response. Writing a review really is a labor of love and believe it or not, my reviews take hours. Many times I am writing at 2 AM because I devote the majority of my day to my own family. I know that God called me to this and any time I get discouraged, He sends me someone to encourage me. Blessings, Patty

Thank you for your honest review. My young daughters wanted to watch this so I previewed it the morning of movie night. I cringed at several parts that were just to old for my girls. I think it will be a good movie to watch when they are older to start the discussion on these topics but for now it’s a no for my family.

Thank you for commenting. I am glad you previewed it. I wish more parents were as diligent with raising their children. Blessings, Patty

Thanks for sharing this review, I went in blindly and watched with 2 of my boys, about 1/2 way through, my 9yo looked at me and said “this is stressful!”, I couldn’t agree more!

Colleen: Thank you for sharing. My husband and I rewatched it and the second time watching it was worse than the first.

You want to know why people are leaving the church? Giving up Christian “values”? Because of the bigotry and disregard for other ways of knowing. You make it sound like “rituals” and “praying to the gods” are something to be concerned about children seeing?. Are you afraid they will learn about how others make sense of the world? That’s pretty bold since Christians are known for shove their beliefs down others throats. This movie was an amazing depiction of the realities of growing up, the challenges of puberty, the beautiful and sometimes messy experience of coming into your own, and the importance of surrounding yourself with friends who support and love you. It is such a shame to see people twist the meaning of this movie. Would you prefer to continue the narrative that girls should stay pure, obedient, to be seen but not heard, to not be so emotional, and to hold in feelings even at the expense of ones own needs? If you think things like kids watching a movie like this puts them at risk for becoming rebellious and less pure, well wait until you see the results from keeping them in a bubble of Christian values. The sheltered ones who are shamed for the normal behaviors associated with growing up, are almost always the ones who end up rebelling even more. Good luck with that!

I do not know anything about you. Are you a Christian? BTW: I have 5 children ranging in age from 35 – 17. I am quite happy with how my children turned out. And luck had nothing to do with it!

What this comment doesn’t understand is that there is one truth. Jesus claimed to be the only way. So why in the world would I want my kids thinking about “praying to the (false) gods.” Yes, it confuses them to hear that message in a children’s show. Yes, I want my kids to grow up pure and protected. And, yes, Jesus is Lord. One day you’ll admit it from bended knee.

Amen! Blessings, Patty

Absolutely agree @ Courtney! I have been teaching my children about being overly religious about everything . We can disagree and not adopt ideas as our own yet continue to acknowledge the good in things. I often share how acting this way does more harm in advancing the kingdom of God when we live in a bubble never looking outside of out own belief system in order to stay “holy”. Relationship vs religion is very much a thing taught in my home. as the old time saying goes “ don’t be so spiritually minded you are no earthly good”

I did not know the main themes of the story, and wish I had looked it up. My 4-year-old wanted to watch it, so we did. I don’t think it was appropriate for her, and I’m annoyed that it was so heavily advertised to her age group (Disney Jr). Certainly, some things were over her head. But she also picks up on language. I’m certain I heard the main character say “crap”. So that’s that. The underlying story was not awful. I just wish they went about it differently. And I wish their TV advertising was a bit more upfront. But, it’s Disney.

Thank you for your comment. I did not know that the movie was heavily advertised on Disney Jr. Disney has spent a lot of money promoting this movie.

Getting ready for church, so I don’t have time for a full comment, but first thanks for taking the time to review movies from a Christian standpoint. Second, I wanted to say that my 5.5 yr old son said when Priya first came onscreen, “Why is Mirabel in the movie?” We are a mixed-nationality couple, who is living in our 2nd international country with our 3 kids, so he has not been sheltered under a homogeneous-insuring rock, nor is he tone-deaf or racist.

We watched the movie a bit late last night (with my girl 11.5yr, 8yo and 5.5 yo boys), but we didn’t have time to discuss much. We openly discuss the human body, periods, and reproduction in our family, so while I was not expecting the references, they didn’t make me uncomfortable. “Making room for our bad/messy bits,” as the Dad said and the lying were worse. Families do encounter messiness and clashes, but the model presented for muddling through them is slight and questionable when the ending phrase of My Panda, My Choice meets a resigned abashed smile from the mom.

Thank you for reading and commenting.

We do not shy away from conversations in this household either. I appreciate you thoughts on the movie!

I respect your opinions on this film. However, I thought I might point out the rating is PG-Patental Guidance. PG does not always mean family movie and may include scenes not suitable for all children. Context is important and parents need to remember what PG actually means. It’s. Up to parents to decide what not to watch rather than film company’s catering to just Christian tastes. I saw the film and have no issue with it. I also understand I am speaking from opinions that are contrary to the majority here.

Thank you for commenting. I do understand exactly what you are saying. Disney is not a Christian company, but I think too many people have false expectations from media companies.

Great review, so thorough! Thanks for caring enough to share. Will be watching this with my 14 year old sister. We’re excited.

Let me know what you think of the movie.

I always check your site to see if you have reviewed a movie before we decide to watch it or decide if I’m going to test watch it first. Although my 8 year old son knows about periods, etc. he is still so innocent. He doesn’t know about sex and that type of language (he is homeschooled) and we don’t believe he is ready to be exposed to it. Strange to see it in a Disney film. Thank you for the review.

Thank you for reading the review and commenting. Let me know if there are movies you would like to see reviewed.

So I had no idea it would be about all that it was about . I was like you thinking what did we really just watch. I watched it with my husband and our 5 and 6 year old girls. They giggled at the part when the girls was looking at the boy in the store through the window but didn’t get much of the other more mature stuff in the movie. It did hit home a bit for me . Me and mom bumped heads at that age and I see now that I’m a mom those “friends” are long gone but my mom is always by my side.I think the last 15 minutes is where I was like yeah this movie is alright but nope not now. The ritual was a bit much since she was in pain and the chanting. My panda my choice. Come on , really? That didn’t have to be in there. And yes I thought priya looked like mirabell as well. It’s not racist . You didn’t make fun you just stated she looks similar and she does. I will definitely remember your site for the future before watching something with my kids. Thank you for a honest review.

Thank you for your comment.

I so appreciate your words regarding Mirabel and Priya. I appreciate the support. It is hard to put your thoughts out there to have them criticized. I really do this as a service to parents and I make very little money on my blog. As a homeschooling mom with an autistic son I cannot devote myself full time to my business. However, when I get a comment like yours I know that I am doing exactly what I was called to do.

I am a homeschooling mother as well. I have 3 little girls. One who has adhd. So hats off to you for dedicating time to helping other families out, i am wore out by noon haha .. keep up the good work 🙂

Respectfully, I think this review really misses the mark of what this movie was trying to show. This was the first time Disney had a modern day coming of age story of a girl, and told the story of growing up in an immigrant/Asian family that is unique to Disney but relatable to so many young teens, especially girls. I don’t think this movie has ever tried to encourage rebelling against parents, but rather normalized recognizing your true self and feeling comfortable with the idea that it might be different than the image your parents create for you. As a parent, I think this is so valuable for my kids (both my boys and my girls) to learn, because I don’t want my kids to ever think that who they are is wrong and bad and needs to be hidden, I’d rather them tell me so I can get to know their true selves as well, just like the mom does by the end of the movie. Also, you comparison of Priya, who is very clearly south-east Asian, to Mirabel, who is presented as Latina, feels like you’re grouping them together solely for their brown skin (the only other similarity being their shoulder length hair??), which, frankly, feels tone deaf and racist.

Thank you for your thoughts.

As far as my comments about Priya and Mirabel, Disney (as well as many other animation studios) openly reuse people, scenes, etc. It is much easier than creating from scratch. Saying they are similar is not racist or tone deaf but realistically reusing characters and changing the nose, hairline, and rounding out the face a little makes sense from a workload standpoint. I was just pointing out that they are similar.

I am not the only one that has said that. If you look side by side at the two characters there are striking similarities, but also some of their movements are the same.

https://youtu.be/KPq53eVvXKQ

there’s nothing racist about her seeing a resemblance. Go somewhere else you troll

Thanks for the support.

I completely agree with this commenter (except the racist part). It’s more about listening to you kids and letting them be who they truly are. Not what path you chose for them. My 13 year old son and husband both enjoyed this movie. Religion plays no part in our family but I want to say to OP I did appreciate your review.

Thank you for commenting. I do write from a Christian perspective, and while I know you need to listen to your kids, I do have adult children that I am close with. That doesn’t start when they become adults. It begins the minute they are born.

Great Review! I did watch this movie as a family with my 7 yr old boy & 11 yr old girl. I wish my husband & I would have watched it first. We were definitely in disbelief… We saw a lot of red flags as Christian parents. Not only in the rebellion but def the sexual content. We learned to also search up reviews (Christian) before watching a movie with the kids.

Bookmark my site for more movie reviews. If I don’t have a review for something you want to see, let me know and I can get one up. (Homeschooling, autism, and life sometimes means I get behind.)

I’m a Christian parent. I loved the movie. My nine year old love the movie. This review is so shallow and obviously the message went right over all of your heads. There is more to bring g a good Christian than avoiding sex talks and keeping your daughters away from boys. Stop equating other culture’s religions with devil worship. How judgmental!!

Ironically, you have come to my blog and judge me without really knowing anything about me.

I have 5 children ranging in age from 35-17. We openly discussed sex with our children. I am thrilled with how my adult children turned out. But I did not go trolling on websites to tell other people how to raise their children when my children were little.

How about we have a conversation when your daughter is an adult and you let me know how your parenting worked out? Titus 2:3-5

I’m always trying to get people to think about cultural values vs true Christian living, and your comments made me think. I’m aware that too many Christians spiral down I to fear of doing wrong, in this case I think the reviewer is on the button. The film, as I understand it, is yet another stitch in the tapestry portrayingthe West (built on Christian values) as being one among equals. The film, by slight of hand, introduces ideas, values, other religious belief and practices, etc as of equal value to Christianity. As such, the film works against the Gospel and should be watched with caution.

Thank you for commenting. I keep saying, if it was just about puberty, or just about a young girl, or… But there is so much that works to undermine a Christian household in this movie. Blessings, Patty

Respectfully, You said your daughter is nine which is exactly who she thought the movie was aimed at and didn’t really have any issues with that age group watching- so I think it is wonderful that you both enjoyed it! We liked it as well but there were a few moments where I was like ok that was a little bit much but we got over it and overall thought it was fine. Her point wasn’t that you should avoid these topics with your kids just that parents of 5 or 6 year olds may not have been prepared for all that which is who the movie was marketing to. My daugher is 6 and while we are pretty open with the period stuff, and she discusses thinking boys are cute– the drooling and sexy pictures that she was drawing was a little much for her I think she felt a little embarassed by that.

As a Christian, the comment I disliked the most was one kid said her mom saying the boy band was stripper music. Luckily she missed it so I got to avoid answering the question of what a stripper was to my 6 year old. I wouldve answered honestly but personally am not ready for her to know that people take their clothes off for money and don’t see why this needed to be in the movie at all. For a 9 year old I probably wouldn’t have a single problem with this movie. Also I don’t think she related other religions to devil worship- just giving parents a heads up that they are in there so they can prepare their conversations for possible questions. I am also curious if you think being a good Christian involves belittling someones views on their own blog and calling them shallow and judgemental for just stating facts about a movie because your comment seems very hateful vs just stating your opinion? I think as Christians a main goal should be to relay informaion however our views are in a loving manner.

I also wasn’t crazy about the “My Panda, My Choice” comment… not even really for the context itself but just for the fact that they are trying to make childrens movies so political these days!! Can we not just let kids be innocent kids for a while they literally have their whole lives to worry about these issues why do they need to be pushed on them so young. Not even that I agree one way or the other but parents should be the ones teaching their kids not movies. With all that being said– I know that PG movies will require me to prewatch just to see what is really in them.

Thank you for commenting so much better than I could. I have been overwhelmed with the support (both comments and email) regarding this review. There are so many more in support of my review than negative. And I haven’t even begun to respond to the emails!

Great review! I was wondering about this movie. My girls love red pandas and will want to see it. Thanks for all of the heads-up info and talking points!

Thanks for reading and commenting. I would love to know your thoughts if you decide to watch it.

Thanks for sharing this! I don’t think I’ll be watching this with my 8 year old as I’m not ready nor is she to have those conversations. SO glad I read this before putting it on for family movie night… I can see watching it down the road when she’s a little older!

Thank you for reading and commenting. I would love to know your thoughts if you decide to watch it without her.

I think that’d make it a good way to start the convo. It’s better to get ahead of these things instead of having to do clean up after. At least make it clear you aren’t going to treat it like it’s a bad thing or anything to be ashamed of. Puberty has a LOT of terrifying things to deal with, making it clear you’re there for them is key.

There is so much more than just puberty in this movie to unpack with a young daughter especially if you are a Christian. Not all children are ready to deal with all of the content. The other worldview and the sexualized content also need to be considered before watching.

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4 Things Parents Should Know about Turning Red

• Michael Foust CrosswalkHeadlines Contributor
• Updated Mar 23, 2022

Meilin is a 13-year-old girl who struggles with everything a typical teen faces – insecurity, awkwardness and a tendency to be easily embarrassed.

Like others her age, she often thinks she’s the smartest person in the world. And like others her age, she often hides in her room – in her case, under her bed – and daydreams about members of the opposite sex.

No doubt, Meilin is going through some tough times. 

But things are about to get much worse. That’s because Meilin, one morning, wakes up as a giant red panda.

She eventually turns back into her human self but then turns back into a giant red panda at school – only to turn back into her normal self after she locks herself in a bathroom stall.

What in the world is going on?

It seems that Meilin’s red panda transformation occurs only when she grows anxious, angry or sad.

The question is: Will she ever learn to control her emotions?

The new Pixar Disney Plus film Turning Red (PG) tells the unique story of Meilin, who lives with a loving but overbearing mom and a dad who isn’t sure how to handle his fast-changing teen daughter.

Here are four things parents should know about Turning Red :

1. It’s all about Female Puberty

“Did the red peony bloom?” Meilin’s mom asks her early in the film while standing outside the bathroom door. “... You must protect your delicate petals and clean them regularly.”

Much of the discussion about periods is implied, not said. Still, discerning children likely will have pointed questions when the credits roll.

2. It Has Double Meaning

The backdrop to the plot is Meilin’s Asian family and their service as “keepers” of an ancestral temple in the city of Toronto. As Meilin tells us, “instead of honoring a god, we honor our ancestors.” One of those ancestors was a lover of nature who dedicated her life to the animals of the forest – especially to the red panda. As Meilin eventually learns, this ancestor – a woman – “asked the gods” to turn her into a red panda so she could protect her village from evil invaders. (The men, we are told were “all gone.”) The gods granted her wish, and since then, every female in Meilin’s ancestry – including her mom – has had this red panda power. It can only be “cured” by undergoing a ritual at night under a red moon, during which time the red panda will be “sealed” in a necklace charm.

“I overcame it, and you will too,” her mom says.

The red panda is a magical element in Turning Red, but it’s also symbolic of a menstrual cycle and Meilin’s emotions.

“You’re being weird,” one of her friends tells her at school the same morning she struggled with keeping the red panda inside.

Meilin is transformed into a red panda when her emotions grow out of control. But when she’s hanging out with her supportive friends, she’s able to keep it in check.

3. It Is Unlike any Pixar Movie Yet

To its credit, Pixar has built a reputation for creating movies that tackle difficult subjects. Onward spotlighted the loss of a father. Soul examined life’s purpose while touching on the afterlife. The Toy Story films were all about children growing up and moving away.

Some of the film’s funniest moments involve Meilin and her friends’ infatuation with a five-member boy band, 4-Town. Unfortunately, those funny moments also are interspersed with problematic scenes and lines.

“[My parents] called it stripper music. What’s wrong with that?” one of Meilin’s friends says.  

Meilan and her friends attend a party where we hear Destiny’s Child’s Bootylicious .

And in the film’s final 20 minutes, we see Meilin – in the form of the red panda – twerking over and over in order to defeat her mom’s out-of-control giant red panda.

“Destroy her with your big butt,” her friend says, cheering Meilin.

If you didn’t get the message already, Meilin is here to help. She tells her mom, “I like boys. I like loud music. I like gyrating. I’m 13. Deal with it!”

4. It Has Some Good Messages … and Horrible Ones, Too

The primary message of Turning Red is a good one for girls: Embrace your body. Don’t be embarrassed by its natural rhythms. Christian parents can take this message to the next level with an even-better lesson: Menstrual cycles are part of God’s marvelous design for the body.

Its messages about friendship (support one another) and chores/responsibilities (Meilan has both) are solid.

Regrettably, though, those good messages can be overshadowed by the film’s more controversial themes, which pit Meilin against her mom.

Meilin and her friends lie and deceive in order to attend a 4-Town concert because their parents disapprove of the group. When Meilin’s mom learns of this, she grows into a skyscraper-height red panda and tears open the roof of the concert arena to find Meilin. (The mom shouts: “I never went to concerts. I put my family first!”)

In the film’s final scene, Meilin is walking out the door sporting a half-human, half-panda look, with a panda tail and panda ears but a human body.

“You’re not going out like that, are you?” her mom says.

“My panda, my choice, Mom,” Meilin retorts – to which her mom changes her approach and approves.

The film’s closing message is thus: Girls can follow the world by dressing how they want, going where they want, and listening to what they want to listen to – and parents really should just get out of the way. Thankfully, the Bible has a better message about parental responsibility and guidance. (And, for the record, the music on the radio is not innocent like that of 4-Town.) 

The film lacks nuance.

Turning Red has a great message about puberty and friendship we all can embrace. It’s too bad that Pixar tossed in other messages – lacking the complexity of real life – that families should reject.

Rated PG for thematic material, suggestive content and language. Language details: We hear a literal “OMG” about four times. We also hear “oh my gosh.”

Entertainment rating:  3 out of 5 stars.

Family-friendly rating:  3 out of 5 stars.

Photo courtesy: ©Disney/Pixar, used with permission.

Video courtesy: ©Pixar

Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press ,  Christianity Today ,  The Christian Post , the   Leaf-Chronicle , the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

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Back in middle school, when she was barely a young teen, this critic had, ahem, a massive crush on a boy one year her senior.

I can’t recall if we were already a couple when I foolishly filled my notebook with his name and some sappily romantic sentiments one evening, not knowing that the embarrassing pad would soon be discovered by my annoyingly overprotective detective of a mother. But I do remember sweating in shame, fear, confusion, and panic when she yanked the notebook from under me (in desperation, I sat on it to unsuccessfully hide the evidence of my young love) and started flipping the pages in utter shock and anger.

Now imagine my astonishment during Oscar-winning “Bao” helmer Domee Shi ’s masterful animation “Turning Red,” while I watched its 13-year-old central character undergo a similar episode with her own mother! The heroine in question is the overachieving Meilin ( Rosalie Chiang )—Mei for her loved ones—growing up too fast with her budding hormones and changing body amid her Chinese-Canadian family in the Toronto of the early aughts. A slightly dorky straight-A student she may be, but there's nothing anyone could do to stop her from noticing all the good-looking boys—particularly a local store clerk—that she and her best friends frequently gush over. That anyone includes her disciplined, willowy mother Ming ( Sandra Oh ), who discovers Mei’s notebook of suggestive heartthrob drawings in furious disbelief. What’s Mei to do if not literally turn red and POOF, transform into a furry, monstrously cute red panda in the midst of navigating all these intense emotions? (Why hadn't I thought of this when I was similarly busted? And more importantly, where was this movie when I was growing up?)

And that is the genius of “Turning Red,” a radical, brazenly hormonal PG movie that instantly fills a huge void in the lives of awkward, novel female teens who might just be starting to crawl out of their childhood cocoons with a disharmony of mystifying awakenings and sexual feelings. That achievement is perhaps no surprise coming from Pixar, a studio that can always be trusted for a generous dose of reflective, grown-up nostalgia as well as a good old-fashioned coming-of-age saga. After all, weren’t some of the best characters of the fiercely inventive animation house—from the talking dolls of the “ Toy Story ” franchise to the corporeal feelings of “ Inside Out ,” the rebellious princess of “ Brave ,” and the aspiring young musician of “ Coco ”—gloriously defined by its signature preoccupations? Still, “Turning Red” (which deserves a lot better than the straight-to-streaming fate Disney has bestowed upon it) feels pioneering and surprising even for the shop behind the groundbreaking animated sci-fi “WALL-E.” For starters, never before has a Disney female ever been asked, “Has the red peony blossomed?” as an inquiry about the start of her menstruation. 

In that regard, “Turning Red” is both a triumphant thematic homecoming for the company and a welcome outlier within the Pixar canon that is, exceptions aside, typically over-flooded with male-centric narratives. What’s even greater about it is its recognizable foundation carrying shades of various superhero tales and the likes of “Teen Wolf” (the 1985 one). You know, stories in which boys and men hide behind their alter-egos while they make sense of the new eyes through which they see the world. Written by Shi and Julia Cho , “Turning Red” passes this familiar baton to Mei, unearthing something that is both culturally specific and universal through its Chinese-Canadian protagonist clearly fashioned by the co-scribes with heaps of personal memories and loving insights.

It’s certainly a delight to follow Mei once she discovers her inner red panda and figures out that as long as she keeps a cool and collected demeanor sans emotions with a little help from her friends, the pink brute won’t take over. Who knows, she could perhaps even lead a normal life and even have some fun along the way. But that’s easier said than done when you’re a teenage girl defined by your wobbly mood swings and the time you spend with your equally frenzied group of friends. In Mei’s case, her girlhood clan consists of the sharp-tongued Abby ( Hyein Park ), nonconformist Miriam ( Ava Morse ), and the nonchalant Priya ( Maitreyi Ramakrishnan ). Together, the celebrated quartet swing from one trouble to the next, trying to do everything they can to see their dreamy boy band 4*Town in concert. (The five-member band does have some actual bangers in the film, written by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell.) But with Mei’s plush red panda slightly altering their plans, the friends finds themselves at a crossroads that directly concerns the young Mei’s future.

As it turns out, Mei had been cursed with a spell passed on through the generations of women in her family. And it can only be broken if she willingly participates in a strenuous ritual that would keep her nuisance alter-ego safely tucked away forever. Through this dilemma, Shi beautifully constructs a traditional tale of generational clash between Mei and her mother, filling their unity and contradictions with thoughtful details of their urban life: the family temple they run as a tourist attraction, the elaborate, studiously cooked meals, the domestic support that runs deep within their household. The animation style—infused with traditional motifs, interludes of anime, and a zippy energy—rises to the occasion, vividly painting Mei’s world with the same level of intricacy Shi and Cho conjure up on the page. While the film’s slightly bloated finale overpowers some of the leaner moments that come before it, “Turning Red” flickers with a bright feminine spirit, one that feels new, crimson-deep, and unapologetically rebellious.

On Disney+ on Friday, March 11th.

Tomris Laffly

Tomris Laffly is a freelance film writer and critic based in New York. A member of the New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC), she regularly contributes to  RogerEbert.com , Variety and Time Out New York, with bylines in Filmmaker Magazine, Film Journal International, Vulture, The Playlist and The Wrap, among other outlets.

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Turning Red (2022)

Rated PG for thematic material, suggestive content and language.

100 minutes

Rosalie Chiang as Mei Lee (voice)

Sandra Oh as Ming (voice)

Jordan Fisher as Robaire (voice)

Grayson Villanueva as Tae Young (voice)

Josh Levi as Aaron Z. (voice)

Topher Ngo as Aaron T. (voice)

Finneas O'Connell as Jesse (voice)

Orion Lee as Jin Lee (voice)

Wai Ching Ho as Mei's Grandma (voice)

Ava Morse as Miriam (voice)

Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Priya (voice)

Hyein Park as Abby (voice)

Addie Chandler as Devon (voice)

Cinematographer

• Jonathan Pytko
• Mahyar Abousaeedi
• Nicholas C. Smith
• Steve Bloom
• Ludwig Göransson

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Turning Red

A 13-year-old girl named Meilin turns into a giant red panda whenever she gets too excited.

Dove Review

We’ve seen Turning Red before. It’s the teenaged and tamer version of The Incredible Hulk — namely, that when the mild-mannered human comes under stress or something that makes him (or, in this case, her ) angry, they suddenly morph into a creature that ostensibly can do something about it.

Or maybe a more accurate description of Turning Red would be Teen Wolf meets The Joy Luck Club .

In a movie that unquestionably aims at a slightly more mature audience than some of Pixar’s other offerings, the focal character is Mei Lee, a 13-year-old girl living with her parents in Toronto’s Chinatown in 2002. She helps take care of the family’s temple and tries to stay on her stern mother Ming’s good side, by playing the good little girl who hides desires and curiosities that every teen must eventually confront. These are things that can only be repressed for so long, and when they leak out — and particularly when Ming makes a big, embarrassing deal about it — Mei turns red-faced. And furry. And all panda-ey.

From the Christian perspective, you’ll probably take issue with the Buddhist leanings of this film, born out of the main character’s culture. We know that there’s one God; this movie refers to “the gods.” Or the ancestor worship. Those are more the settings than the emphasis, which is overwhelmingly a coming-of-age tale about how a teenage girl relates to the three P’s — parents, peer pressure and puberty. (OK, that’s four. Sue me.)

Some Mings out there will no doubt find in this tale some sort of subtle endorsement about sneaking out of the house and lying to parents, as Mei does — as if kids haven’t stumbled across (and practiced and perfected) this concept all on their own for, what, centuries? Ferris Bueller did it and then some. Cost him a Ferrari that wasn’t even his.

What complicates these teen-coming-of-age inclinations is that Mei, it turns out, is but the latest in a long line of panda-morphing women in her family. They came to this blessing/curse many moons ago in China, after praying to “the gods” for a way to protect their village from marauders. “The gods” gave them the power to become pandas. But they didn’t make it easy to contain the power — that can only happen in a sealing ceremony on the night of the Red Moon.

Mei learns how to calm herself down to tame her inner panda, but she also exploits it. This, of course, is part of the “my panda, my choice” declaration that will no doubt harken not so subtly to the ongoing abortion issue in this country. When Ming denies her permission to attend a concert at SkyDome by 4*Town, her favorite boy band, she makes the panda emerge to show off at a party, in an attempt to raise money for 4*Town tickets. When she goes to the concert anyway, Ming’s own inner panda erupts and there’s panda-monium in a confrontation at SkyDome.

One of the strong points about this movie is that there is a wealth of conversation points for parents and kids, and admittedly not all of them may be comfortable. One, for instance, could deal with how parents and teens should relate in light of Ephesians 6:1-4 (“Honor your father and mother … don’t exasperate your children.”)

But better that you have these conversations and deal honestly with them. Repression very well mean you’ll find yourselves dealing with pandas of your own, and some of them won’t be nearly as cute and cuddly as Mei. This movie merits a Dove-approved seal for Ages 12+ for its

The Dove Take

We’ve all got protective inner beasts that we must acknowledge and tame, rather than repress and shame, and too few do, to the detriment of a great many.

Dove Rating Details

Refreshingly, the movie deals with uncomfortable realities in coming of age, in mother-daughter relationships, in the value of family, and in the dangers of lying and hiding the real you.

Mei twerks as the red panda and sticks her head in-between her legs and twerks some more. It’s way more comedy than sexy; Mei draws herself and man cuddling, and hides the pictures that eventually concern her mother.

Some humor is derived from talk about girls’ periods and related products; “butthead,” “crap,” “freak,” “hobo,” “jerkwad,” “perv,” “stripper”

A mother fights her daughter as a monster

A shirtless boy;

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'turning red' confronts the messiness of adolescence with refreshing honesty.

Justin Chang

In Turning Red , 13-year-old Mei Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang) "poofs" into a giant red panda whenever she gets too excited. Disney/Pixar hide caption

In Turning Red , 13-year-old Mei Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang) "poofs" into a giant red panda whenever she gets too excited.

Three years ago, the writer-director Domee Shi won an Oscar for her delightful Pixar animated short, Bao . In telling the sweet and surreal story of a Chinese Canadian mother and a steamed dumpling that comes to life, it captured something funny and poignant about the cultural and generational differences that can divide Asian immigrant families.

With her first feature, Turning Red , Shi leans further into the complexities of Asian parent-child relationships — and this time, she's come up with an even wilder conceit. If you were to mash together Carrie and The Joy Luck Club , and somehow still get away with a PG rating, it might look a bit like this movie.

The story is set in the early 2000s, and it follows a 13-year-old girl named Meilin Lee, voiced by Rosalie Chiang, who lives in Toronto's Chinatown. Mei is an obedient overachiever, a straight-A student who spends her free time helping her parents run a temple built to honor their Chinese ancestors.

While Mei's father is shy and mostly stays out of the way, her mother, Ming — a terrific Sandra Oh — is attentive to the point of overbearing. In addition to being super-involved with Mei's studies, Ming rigorously polices her daughter's social life, in hopes that she won't be too influenced by Western ways.

But while Mei may look like the perfect daughter, she has interests of her own, like any teenager. She's starting to notice boys, and she and her friends are particularly obsessed with an 'N Sync -style boy band. And then one morning, in a twist that riffs on Kafka's The Metamorphosis and countless werewolf movies, she discovers that she's turned into an enormous red panda, with bright red-orange fur and a long, bushy tail. She promptly flips out.

Movie Interviews

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Director Shi, who wrote the script with Julia Cho, confronts the messiness of adolescence with an honesty that's refreshing in the world of studio animation. Mei's transformation is clearly a metaphor for the onset of puberty, when your body betrays you and becomes unrecognizable overnight. But it's a metaphor for something else, too. As it turns out, the red-panda effect is the result of some very ancient Chinese magic that's been passed down to Mei through the women in her family.

It may be a ridiculous setup, but as in most Pixar movies, even the most outlandish plot devices have their own narrative logic. Mei soon figures out that her panda persona is triggered by intense emotions; whenever she calms down, she turns back into her human self.

Her mom instructs her to suppress her feelings and the panda along with it. But then something funny happens: Her friends find out about the panda, and rather than being weirded out by it, they think it's the cutest, coolest thing ever. Soon, Mei is newly popular and having the time of her life, and she starts to wonder: What if the panda, far from being some shameful aberration, is actually the truest expression of her happy, goofy, emotional self?

And so Turning Red tells a story about shame, repression and social anxiety — areas that I, like more than a few Asian Americans, know a thing or two about. During the movie, I found myself sometimes wincing in recognition at Mei's tension and embarrassment as she's torn between her family and friends. I also balked at moments that seemed to exaggerate for comic effect, especially when it came to Mei's mother, who's clearly been conceived along the lines of the controversial "tiger mom" stereotype.

All of which is to say that Turning Red gives you a lot of ideas to grapple with. It also gives you a lot to look at. Director Shi and her collaborators have a lot of fun incorporating East Asian influences into the story and animation. You can see touches of Japanese anime in the character design; Mei's panda has the fluffy, oversized proportions of Hayao Miyazaki 's Totoro. The action-heavy climax manages to salute kaiju movies like Godzilla and martial-arts epics like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon .

Turning Red knows that teenage life can sometimes feel like a monster movie and sometimes it's an action movie — and now, happily, it's a Pixar movie, and one of the bolder ones to come along in a while.

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Unhelpful Advice in ‘Turning Red’

More By Brett McCracken

The story in Pixar’s Turning Red is highly specific—a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl struggles with the transitions of puberty in early-2000s Toronto. Yet like all specific stories, there are universal themes at play and subtle but significant worldview assumptions that need to be probed.

I enjoyed many aspects of the film. The animation is top-notch, the jokes are often funny, and the representation of under-seen cultures and contexts is refreshing. Furthermore, the film nails generational conflict in immigrant families and the unavoidable awkwardness of puberty. Director Domee Shi (herself a Chinese-Canadian who grew up in Toronto) has explicitly said the red panda is a “metaphor for magical puberty,” and Turning Red (rated PG) captures well the messy volatility of this life stage. I actually liked the film’s honest, sympathetic approach to the experience of puberty. It provides good discussion fodder for parents of young ladies on the verge—or in the midst—of this oft-tumultuous developmental transition.

It’s a pity, then, that many of Turning Red ’s ideas and messages are so unhelpful. For all of its merits, the film ultimately advocates a wrongheaded central message under the guise of empowerment: embrace who you are, even your reckless vices and dangerous impulses, and don’t let anyone stop you.

Don’t Tame the Beast. Let It Out.

In Turning Red , protagonist Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang) discovers that her inner beast comes out when her emotions get riled up—she literally turns into an eight-foot-tall red panda. The story plays with the old Jekyll and Hyde trope (or Bruce Banner and the Hulk). But as is the fashion for our nonbinary age, it suggests the oppositional categories are outmoded and harmful. It’s not about pitting our inner Jekyll against our inner Hyde; it’s about embracing both as essential sides to the authentic self. It’s the natural arc of our modern age: from black and white to everything gray; reframing dysphoria as euphoria .

Traditionally, the idea in these Jekyll/Hyde stories is that humans are inherently conflicted—our fleshly passions are at odds with our logic/will, with the former often leading us to rash, irrational chaos while the latter helps us to cultivate virtue and order and “contain” the potential damage our unwieldy passions might inflict.

Of course, this is a deeply theological idea too. In Romans 7 Paul vividly writes about this war within himself: “For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. . . . For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out” (vv. 15, 18). He talks often about the battle between flesh and Spirit (Gal. 5:16–26) and about the old and new self (Eph. 4:17–24).

It’s encouraging that the New Testament normalizes this aspect of being human—that our chaos-oriented fallen nature is always undermining our rational desires (will) to be virtuous and ordered. What you’ll not find in the New Testament, however, is an encouragement to just resign yourself to these “two sides of yourself” and embrace them as both essential aspects of “who you are.” The Bible never encourages us to accept the beastly sides of our fallen natures as sanctified goods , as if the Hyde side of our nature is somehow part of a hallowed “true self” that we shouldn’t hide but rather let loose without shame.

Yet our culture today tells us to do precisely this. And so does Turning Red .

The Bible never encourages us to accept the beastly sides of our fallen natures as  sanctified goods , as if the Hyde side of our nature is somehow part of our hallowed ‘true self.’

At one point in the film, Meilin’s dad is talking to her about the various “sides” to ourselves, and he says that while “some sides are messy,” the point “isn’t to push the bad stuff away. It’s to make room for it, to live with it.”

And then Meilin’s final line in the film puts an even blunter point on it: “We’ve all got an inner beast,” she says in a didactic summary directed to the children watching. “We’ve all got a messy, loud, weird part of ourselves hidden away. And a lot of us never let it out. But I did. How about you?”

It’s a message entirely in keeping with the “love who you are!” zeitgeist, and it’s not altogether different from the “break free” empowerment anthems we’ve heard in Disney movies for years. But it’s a terrible message. As author/scholar Jessica Hooten Wilson observes in a Twitter thread critiquing the film , real freedom is actually the opposite of letting your inner beast run wild: “You exhibit liberty by not being a slave to your desires. You show freedom by controlling the beast part of you and allowing the higher nature to come out.”

Do we really want to encourage children to abandon all efforts to constrain the lesser parts of themselves, as if any attempt to “tame” beastly passions is the illegitimate erasure of identity imposed by oppressive systems (whether parents, pastors, or the patriarchy)?

“Embrace the mess” may be a cute coffee mug slogan, but if it justifies sinful behavior under the banner of “authenticity” and expressive identity , it’s a bankrupt moral philosophy that will shipwreck your life.

‘My Panda, My Choice!’

Near the end of Turning Red , a shockingly brazen line spoken by Meilin leaves no doubt about the film’s worldview.

As Meilin prepares to go out with her friends, having decided to embrace rather than hide the “beast” part of herself, her mom protests that she’s about to go out in public with her panda ears and tail showing. Meilin responds, “My panda, my choice, mom!”

It’s a nod to the favorite slogan of pro-abortion activists—“my body, my choice”—and a triumphal declaration by a 13-year-old girl that what she does with and to her body is her choice , whatever her parents or elders might say. As if a 13-year-old girl always knows best.

This scene brought to mind Abigail Shrier’s Irreversible Damage , a harrowing book that spends a great deal of time lamenting the dangerous subversion of parental authority in the transgender agenda. Are you a 13-year-old girl who feels—somewhere in that messy, irrational stew of adolescent feelings—that you might actually be a boy? If so, find a trans-affirming therapist who will sign off on hormone treatments and maybe top surgery—and do it all without ever telling your parents!

To be clear, Turning Red is not explicitly promoting a transgender agenda. But it is promoting the same worldview that undergirds the transgender agenda: embrace the messiness of your conflicted inner self, trust all your feelings, and don’t let anyone—even your parents—stop you in your quest to be whatever sort of person (or gender, or animal species) you want to be.

In the realm of “advice we give to our kids,” this message is not just bad; it’s criminal. For that reason, my advice on Turning Red is to turn it off. When we tell our kids to just “let it go” or “let it out” with regard to their fallen and confused self, it’s not empowering. It’s endangering.

Is there enough evidence for us to believe the Gospels?

Brett McCracken is a senior editor and director of communications at The Gospel Coalition. He is the author of The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World , Uncomfortable: The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community , Gray Matters: Navigating the Space Between Legalism and Liberty , and Hipster Christianity: When Church and Cool Collide . Brett and his wife, Kira, live in Santa Ana, California, with their three children. They belong to Southlands Church , and Brett serves as an elder. You can follow him on Twitter .

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• DVD & Streaming

Turning Red

• Animation , Comedy , Kids , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• February 7, 2024
• Rosalie Chiang as Meilin "Mei" Lee; Sandra Oh as Ming Lee; Ava Morse as Miriam; Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Priya; Hyein Park as Abby; Orion Lee as Jin Lee; Wai Ching Ho as Grandmother; James Hong as Mr. Gao; Tristan Allerick Chen as Tyler; Addie Chandler as Devon

Home Release Date

• March 11, 2022

Distributor

Movie review.

Adolescence is hard.

That’s no secret, of course. Why, adolescence itself is almost like an anti-secret—filled with all sorts of embarrassing things you’d rather just lock away. You grow what seems to be several feet taller in, like, about a second. You start growing hair in weird places. You sprout a tail. Your body odor ratchets up a notch or two. You—

Oh, wait. You mean to tell me that you didn’t sprout a tail when you were an adolescent? Well, consider yourself lucky. Mei is here to tell you that growing tails—or anything else more at home on a red panda—is no picnic.

Mei, a 13-year-old girl of Chinese descent and Canadian citizenship, never asked to transform into a gigantic red panda. In fact, she never knew the option was on the table. Her main concerns were keeping her grades up, keeping her love of boy band 4-Town strong and keeping her mom proud of her. And a little touch of puberty wasn’t going to stop her from performing her scholarly/friendly/daughterly duties to the letter.

But it seems as though her mom has been keeping a secret from Mei.

While most kids have to navigate cracking voices and oily skin in adolescence, Mei’s family takes puberty to a whole new level. Long ago, one of Mei’s ancestors made a bargain with the gods: Help me protect the village from rampaging attackers ! She prayed. The gods granted her the ability to transform into a gigantic red panda, which did the trick.

But the gods, apparently having a rather twisted sense of humor, gave this gift a catch: All the women in the family thereafter would be able to turn into pandas, too—a neat ability in feudal China, but less ideal in urban Toronto. And the transformation itself can be a bit tricky. The panda comes out when emotions run high. And given that adolescence is a time of sky-high emotionalism … well, let’s just say that his magical red panda is about the only panda that’s not endangered.

But that’s not all. Mei’s mom, Ming Lee, warns her daughter that the panda comes with a dark side. As such, most of the women (Ming Lee included) have undergone a special ceremony that has separated the women from their panda alter-egos. Mei can—and will—do the same, once the full moon makes an appearance.

It can’t happen soon enough. Whether it’s the panda’s “dark side” or something else, Mei’s not quite thinking like herself these days. She’s angrier. More prone to lash out. She sometimes lies to her beloved family. Sneak behind their backs. Think about boys , and not just the members of 4-Town.

Mei’s not the sweet little girl she used to be. She’s part panda now. And the panda wants to come out.

Positive Elements

Turning Red is an in-your-face metaphor for puberty and all the changes that go along with it. As we’ll see, the film tackles those changes straight on, without a blink or a flinch. And it reminds us that while adolescence can feel strange or even monstrous at times, it’s a normal and even beautiful transformation.

The movie also understands how difficult adolescence can be for both kids and parents. The dynamics between the two are changing, and how both parties navigate those changes can impact relationships for a long time to come. (We see that Ming Lee doesn’t have a particularly close relationship with her own mother, and Ming Lee’s own transformation was to blame for that.)

Mei loves her own family very much. Certainly, her relationship with her mom faces strains during the film, but the underlying affection remains.

But—again, a nod toward what happens to most of us during adolescence—she’s deeply and increasingly committed to her friends: Miriam, Priya and Abby. With the exception of a late plot hiccup or two, the four of them support one another unwaveringly. They’re the center of Mei’s life, really—and as such, it’s perhaps no surprise they help center her , too. When Mei discovers that peace and calm can banish her panda self for a time, Mei thinks of her friends to conjure that sense of serenity.

Spiritual Elements

Ming Lee leads tours of her family temple for visitors, with Mei serving as “its assistant temple keeper.” Mei tells us that there, “instead of honoring a god, we honor our ancestors,” and mother and daughter light incense as they kneel before a portrait of one of them.

That revered ancestor (Sun Yee) is called the “Guardian of the Red Pandas.” Before we know about the family gift/curse, we know that Sun Yee sacrificed herself for others, and that the red panda “blessed” the family. (It’s only later, when Mei goes through her transformation, that we’re told the gods bestowed this magical “blessing” on the family.) We sometimes see flashbacks or visions of sorts of supernatural red pandas flying about, sometimes smiting their enemies.

The separation ceremony feels quite magical as well: A circle is drawn around the person who would be separated from her panda-self. Others stand around the circle and chant. (We’re told the music and the chanting could be anything, as long as it comes from “the heart,” but Mei’s family is made up of traditionalists who chant what sound like magic incantations.) And if the spell ceremony works as it should, a glowing symbol or rune of some sort appears in the circle as well.

[ Spoiler Warning ] While the ceremony separates supernatural panda essences from their mortal human cohorts, the panda parts of them don’t go away: Rather, they’re housed in various objects—often pieces of jewelry—that the mortal human then keeps on her person.

Members of 4-Town arrive, decked out as angels. We see people dressed in ways that would indicate other religions, including a Sikh dastar and a Muslim hijab. We hear that someone has “50 years of experience as a shaman.”

Sexual Content

Mei and her friends are deeply infatuated with the five members of 4-Town, and we hear Mei and her friends talk about how they might date and marry and settle down with the bandmates. (They discover one of their male friends has an affinity for the band, too—crying along with all the tween girls when the group takes the stage during a concert. Read into that what you will.)

But Mei’s also starting to feel attractions for boys closer to home. She begins doodling pictures of Devon, one such would-be crush: The first drawing we see depicts him apparently shirtless, holding Mei in an embrace. Another picture features him as a merman—complete with tail. We don’t see any other drawings, but when her mom looks at them, she’s appalled. “Did he do these things to you?!” she asks, horrified. She then marches down to the convenience store (where the boy works) and demands, “What have you done to my Mei Mei?!” Devon’s done nothing, of course; in fact, he doesn’t even know her name.

Meanwhile, Mei’s equally as horrified by what she drew. “What we you thinking, drawing those things?!” she scolds herself. “Those horrible, awful, sexy things!” But it’s not the last time that Mei fantasizes about a boy in a fish tail. We see part of one of her mer-fantasies, which is strong enough to trigger her panda transformation.

Mei and her friends flirt with some middle school boys. Mei expresses a desire to dance somewhat suggestively—shaking her rear end and such—much to her mother’s horror. Her mom scolds other kids, too. “Where are your parents?” she says to some unseen targets. “Put some clothes on!” We see a guy shirtless.

Another sensitive subject that Turning Red alludes to repeatedly, and one that is related to reproduction and anatomy (which is why we’ve included it in this section), is menstruation. When a panda-tized Mei, hides in the bathroom, her mother assumes that’s the issue: She asks Mei, “Did the red peony bloom?” We also see and hear references to menstrual pads. Mei’s mom also talks with her about the importance of “protect[ing] your petals and start cleaning them regularly.” We hear references to cramps. And some might hear an echo of menstruation in the film’s title.

Violent Content

Ming Lee cautions Mei that their spirit-pandas come with a “dark side,” and we do see Mei transform into a panda when she becomes enraged. At one point, Mei’s arm clicks into panda mode and hurls a rubber dodgeball through a school window.

Mei’s parents even move her into a furniture-less bedroom until it’s time for the transformation ceremony. (We see claw marks on the walls and floors, presumably from Mei in her transformed state.) But even when the panda isn’t a product of violent anger, its mere size can cause problems: She causes plenty of property damage in said form.

A massive arena suffers some massive damage. Someone’s kicked in the shins. People wrestle a bit. Supernatural animals fight and bite. Mom and Mei watch a Chinese show, and Mom mentions that one of the characters will likely be stabbed on his wedding night.

Crude or Profane Language

Two uses of “crap” and two uses of the initials “O-M-G.” We also hear plenty of other crude insults tossed about, too.

Drug and Alcohol Content

When Ming Lee believes that Devon’s been untoward toward her daughter, she says that he’s what happens “when you don’t wear sunblock and do drugs all day.”

Other Negative Elements

Mei starts acting in some un-Mei-like ways, and I don’t mean just turning into a panda. When her mother refuses to let her go to a concert, Mei decides she’s going to go anyway—and she spends much of the rest of the movie lying and hiding things from her parents. We learn that her grades have started to slip, too. And later, throws her friends under the metaphorical bus to keep from getting in trouble with her mom.

We hear references to constipation and body odor.

Ever since Pixar rolled out the landmark classic Toy Story , the studio has been known for telling some of the best cinematic stories of the age. And while Pixar’s movies are technically for kids, those labels can obscure the beauty, depth and resonance of the films themselves.

Up is an astounding and affecting rumination on grief. Inside Out does nothing less than unpack the human psyche. Not every Pixar film has been a home run. Some have had their own issues. But generally, from Finding Nemo to The Incredibles , from WALL-E to Soul , Pixar films have generally pulled off a rare double achievement—offering audiences of all ages beautiful messages beautifully told.

Even Brave —not considered among Pixar’s best—bravely jumped headlong into the ticklish family dynamics between a demanding mother and headstrong girl and found some fertile middle ground therein. In the movie, Mom realized that she couldn’t turn daughter Merida into someone she was never born to be. But Merida understood that growing up meant embracing not just new freedoms, but new duties, too.

By those standards, Turning Red is a disappointment. Its own mother-daughter story skips the depth and maturity that’s been such a Pixar hallmark, leaning instead on a short-sighted, do-your-own-thing ethos. Indeed, in some ways, it’s almost the grinning doppelganger of Brave .

Turning Red starts where Brave ends—with Mei expressing an understanding that personal freedom and autonomy inherently need to be balanced with the needs of family and community. “I am my own person,” she says, “but that doesn’t mean doing whatever I want. Like most adults, I have responsibilities.”

But while Brave suggested that mature understanding was something that people grew into through adolescence, Turning Red suggests that’s something we should grow out of .

“I like boys!” Mei eventually shouts at her mother. “I like loud music! I like gyrating! I’m 13! Deal with it!” In the movie’s ethos, this isn’t a childish temper tantrum: It’s a declaration of emancipation, Mei telling her mom that she was done following her rules. (And this at an age when child psychologists say that adolescents are literally, in some ways, a little crazy.) In fact, Mei even uses a spin on a pro-choice slogan that’s chilling for a couple of reasons: “My panda, my choice,” she says.

Now, admittedly, Mei’s rebellious panda stage comes with some lessons for mom and dad. Mei’s mother is pretty controlling. And as adolescents mature, parents can gradually ease up on the restrictions a bit—especially if their kids, like Mei, have proven themselves to be reliable. Teens need to have room to explore their individuality and test some limits; it’s part of growing up. Doubling down on rules and restrictions without context can indeed lead to rebellion and, sometimes, fractured relationships.

But this story lacks the nuance or the fortitude to show where Mei was wrong, too. The movie suggests that, while family values are all well and good, the individual trumps all. It’s the ethos of the “me generation,” just spelled M-E-I.

And that’s not the only way that Turning Red slips from Pixar’s historically sky-high podium. While the story’s entertaining, it’s not engrossing. It’s competently, but not beautifully, made. And while many of Pixar’s best didn’t have a whit of Plugged In content concerns, this has plenty—from its spirituality to frank sexual asides to a few crass words and phrases.

Sure, you can find plenty of worse fare out there for children. Turning Red didn’t have me turning red. But it didn’t leave me tickled pink, either. And given Pixar’s lofty pedigree, that left me feeling rather blue.

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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Turning red, common sense media reviewers.

Pixar coming-of-age tale explores puberty and parent issues.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Promotes open and honest communication between par

Mei is a caring, thoughtful daughter, a compassion

Main character Mei and her family (as well as writ

The panda transformation can come with a dark side

Young teens have crushes on members of a boy band.

Insult language like "dork," "narc," "brainwashed,

Off-screen product tie-ins.

Mei's mom makes a comment that a boy's behavior is

Parents need to know that Turning Red is Pixar's coming-of-age adventure set in early-2000s Toronto about Meilin "Mei" Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang), a Chinese Canadian teen who unleashes a literal red panda when she starts going through puberty. The panda transformation -- which can sometimes be intense and…

Positive Messages

Promotes open and honest communication between parents and kids, particularly teens. Highlights challenges of adolescence and how the process can deepen bonds between friends and between parents and teens. Encourages curiosity, compassion, courage, self-control, teamwork.

Positive Role Models

Mei is a caring, thoughtful daughter, a compassionate friend. After her inner panda is unleashed, she becomes more curious, adventurous, courageous, but she also lies to her parents and keeps secrets from them. In one scene, she's disrespectful after weeks of not being honest with them. Mei's parents, especially her mom, have high expectations and can seem overprotective, but they love her unconditionally, want to do what's best for her. Mei's friends are supportive, kind, honest.

Diverse Representations

Main character Mei and her family (as well as writer-director Domee Shi) are Chinese Canadian; Mei's best friends are White, South Asian, and Korean. Mei's Canadian nationality and Chinese ethnicity are both prominently featured, and voice actors were cast authentically. Mei lives in Chinatown, and her family runs a temple. Strong representation of a young woman going through puberty and the confusing, awkward, hormonally charged nature of adolescence. Tight girl friendships are a major theme.

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Violence & Scariness

The panda transformation can come with a dark side. When the panda gets angry, she can cause both purposeful and accidental damage. Lunar ceremony that Mei goes through seems painful. Mass property damage during a concert scene when a giant, somewhat scary red panda wreaks havoc, forcing concertgoers to run for their lives; even the musicians look in danger (it's eventually played for laughs). After she transforms, Mei is kept in her room and jumps around, butting her head against walls and causing minor damage. Mei throws a dodgeball with her panda arm, and it goes so fast the ball breaks a window. Supernatural pandas push and fight one another. Arguments, confrontations.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Young teens have crushes on members of a boy band. They kiss the band's CD and poster and talk about the attractiveness of each member. A girl finds a boy cute and ends up sketching various images of him -- e.g., him as a merman, the two of them kissing, etc. She sweats as she draws the images, telegraphing her attraction/infatuation. Discussions of "hotness" and the boy band's gyrating moves. Teen hormones and puberty/adolescence (including talk of a girl's period) are a major theme.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Insult language like "dork," "narc," "brainwashed," "jerkwad," "butthead," "freak," "psycho mom," "creepy temple," and "crap."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Drinking, drugs & smoking.

Mei's mom makes a comment that a boy's behavior is the result of not wearing sunblock and of "doing drugs all day."

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Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Turning Red is Pixar's coming-of-age adventure set in early-2000s Toronto about Meilin "Mei" Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang), a Chinese Canadian teen who unleashes a literal red panda when she starts going through puberty. The panda transformation -- which can sometimes be intense and leads to both unintended and purposeful damage/destruction -- is definitely a metaphor for adolescence, and the movie skews more toward an older tween/early teen audience than many of Pixar's other films. The story centers the city's Chinatown community where Mei lives and features an authentically diverse cast. With puberty and adolescence at the heart of the action, expect references to periods and celebrity crushes, discussions of "hotness," and descriptions of the attractiveness of popular singers (as well as another older teen) and their gyrating dance moves. Occasional mild and insult language includes "crap," "freak," "jerkwad," "butthead," etc. The film encourages curiosity, compassion, courage, self-control, and teamwork, and families who watch together can discuss lots of issues afterward, from the importance of having honest conversations about puberty to the dangers of lying and keeping secrets and the need for both close friends and trusted adults. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Based on 283 parent reviews

Don’t be misled by over-critical reviews

Too heavy handed for its intended audience, what's the story.

Set in Toronto circa 2003, Pixar's TURNING RED centers on 13-year-old Meilin "Mei" Lee (voiced by Rosalie Chiang), a rule-following middle schooler who's the only child of her overprotective parents, type-A Ming ( Sandra Oh ) and quiet Jin ( Orion Lee ), who run a Buddhist temple in the city's Chinatown. Mei and her three best friends -- Miriam (Ava Morse), Priya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), and Abby (Hyein Park) -- are infatuated with popular boy band 4Town and crush on a local teen who works at a convenience store. One morning, after an unsettling dream about both real and celebrity boys, Mei wakes up transformed into a literal red panda. She finds out that the metamorphosis is an ancestral rite of passage for the women in her family when they reach puberty, but that a lunar ceremony can confine the panda into an amulet. Since strong emotions can bring on the transformation, Mei must call upon all her meditation skills to resist the change until the ceremony can take place. That works for a while, until her friends convince her that changing into the panda could be fun -- and lucrative.

Is It Any Good?

Delightful, funny, unapologetically girl-centered, and a surprisingly touching allegory for adolescence, this is Pixar's most teen-friendly film. It's also a gift for anyone who remembers the onset of puberty, pining over musicians (in this case, a shout-out to millennials who crushed on O-Town, *NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, and the like), and struggling to balance meeting parental expectations with friendships and newfound interests. Chiang does a lovely job conveying Mei's emotional and physical changes -- how she genuinely wants to obey her parents, take care of their family temple, and be a good girl but also enjoys her BFFs, loud music, and, yes, boys (even if they are of the unattainable pop-heartthrob variety). And Oh, who's also Canadian, is ideally cast as Mei's mom, who's more complex than the fussy helicopter mom she initially seems to be. Although dad Jin is a kind and loving presence, Turning Red is at heart a story about mothers and daughters. Mei and Ming's dynamic is in some ways universal: the bittersweet and at times outright confrontational push-and-pull of surviving teen rebellion (whatever that looks like).

Visually, Turning Red , like all Pixar movies, is phenomenal. Director Domee Shi (who herself is Chinese Canadian and was 13 in 2002), is clearly drawing on her own lived experiences of Toronto, its Chinatown, and being a teen in the early '00s. The movie, like her short film Bao , is also an emotional reminder of the tender joy and turbulent angst of growing up -- particularly with a demanding but loving mother who has sky-high expectations. But audiences don't need to be Canadian, Chinese, women, girls, or millennials to relate to and enjoy this story, because its themes and central metaphor work for everyone who has or will experience the awkward excitement of transforming from child to teen. Like Inside Out or The Mitchells vs. the Machines , Turning Red is a standout addition to animated movies that capture the overwhelming feelings of coming-of-age.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the theme of adolescence in Turning Red . How is puberty/coming-of-age a major part of the story? Do you think that makes the movie more relevant to tweens and teens than to younger kids?

Why do you think Mei always feels like she has to do what her parents, particularly her mother, wants? How does she learn to tell her parents the truth? Did you find the movie's family dynamics relatable?

How do Mei and other characters display courage , curiosity , empathy , and teamwork ? Why are those important character strengths?

Did you relate to the movie's setting -- both the time (early 2000s) and the place (Canada)? Do you think that's necessary to appreciate the story's themes and messages?

Movie Details

• On DVD or streaming : May 3, 2022
• Cast : Rosalie Chiang , Sandra Oh , James Hong
• Director : Domee Shi
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Asian actors
• Studios : Pixar Animation Studios , Disney+
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Friendship , Middle School , Wild Animals
• Character Strengths : Courage , Curiosity , Empathy , Self-control , Teamwork
• Run time : 100 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : thematic material, suggestive content and language
• Award : Common Sense Selection
• Last updated : January 31, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Turning Red review: "One of the stronger Pixar movies of the last decade"

GamesRadar+ Verdict

An intergenerational family drama, a search for self, and a big, bouncy comedy sure to entertain. Pixar on its B+-game.

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

If Pixar movies are, y’know, for kids (they’re not, of course, or at least not exclusively), then you have to admire just how adult their themes are. Mortality, obsolescence, our planet’s demise, emotional dissonance, abstract thought… and now, in Turning Red, menstruation, a topic that ridiculously remains taboo in much of cinema, let alone an animated family adventure.

Here, our hero is Meilin (newcomer Rosalie Chiang), a 13-year-old Chinese Canadian living in early 2000s Toronto. A dutiful daughter to her over-protective mother (Sandra Oh) and gentle father (Orion Lee), she works hard and keeps a low profile at school, goofs around with her three best friends (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Ava Morse, Hyein Park) and generally loses her shit whenever boyband 4*Town are mentioned. 

Then biology throws Meilin a curveball – she starts turning into a big red panda whenever she gets emotional. Which, being 13, is a lot . And so Meilin tries to ashamedly hide her changing form from friends and classmates. Not easy when your mum turns up at school because you forgot your sanitary pads…

Twenty-five films in, this is the first Pixar feature to be solely directed by a female filmmaker - Domee Shi, who helmed the studio’s Oscar-winning short Bao - and its first with an Asian-led cast. It’s historic, then, and it’s also very good; not Inside Out and Soul good, maybe, but one of the stronger Pixar movies of the last decade. 

OK, so it perhaps lacks a truly bring-the-house-down set-piece - although Panda Meilin racing home across rooftops as her mum pursues first by car and then by foot in the streets below has something of The French Connection’s famous chase to it. Meanwhile, the ending, though quietly emotional, doesn’t inspire outright blubs a la Up ’s opening montage, or the climax of Toy Story 3 .

But Turning Red is funny, thrilling, gorgeously animated, features spot-on boyband tunes written by Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas, and of course boasts that inspired concept, even if the original Teen Wolf movie did much the same thing 37 years earlier. What’s more, it packs a poignant message about accepting others and, crucially, yourself. “Let out the weird, messy, loud part of yourself,” says one character. Or, as Meilin works up the courage to tell her mum as she embraces her twerking panda with all of its urges: “I like gyrating.”

Turning Red is available on Disney Plus from March 11. For more, check out the best movies on Disney Plus streaming now.

Jamie Graham is the Editor-at-Large of Total Film magazine. You'll likely find them around these parts reviewing the biggest films on the planet and speaking to some of the biggest stars in the business – that's just what Jamie does. Jamie has also written for outlets like SFX and the Sunday Times Culture, and appeared on podcasts exploring the wondrous worlds of occult and horror. 

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Amit Katwala

Turning Red Doesn’t Follow Pixar’s Rules. Good 

In 2017, director Domee Shi had just finished Bao , a Pixar short in which a woman’s bao bun lunch comes to life and grows from an adorable dumpling into a surly steamed-up teenager. It was an allegory for motherhood. Following the film’s warm reception (it eventually won the Oscar for Best Animated Short), her Pixar colleagues asked her to pitch ideas for a feature. She spent that summer working up three concepts—all coming-of-age stories about teenage girls that leaned heavily on her experiences growing up in a Chinese Canadian family in Toronto.

Ultimately, she made Turning Red, the story of Meilin Lee, a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl growing up in Toronto in the early 2000s who wakes up one day to discover that she now transforms into a magical giant red panda whenever she gets angry or upset. It’s an allegory for puberty—and one of the most personal movies Pixar has ever made.

The studio’s moviemaking process is now part of cinematic lore. Its rules of storytelling ( there are 22 ) are handed down in earnest screenwriting blogs like the Ten Commandments. In its early days, Pixar was notorious for polishing and tinkering and crafting—boiling a story down to its very essence, trying to speak to universal themes like love and loss and family. Each film got hashed out by Pixar’s “ brain trust ”—John Lasseter, Pete Docter, Brad Bird, and others—and the results snagged the studio huge hits and dozens of awards.

But those rules also meant a lot of movies looked a lot different from their original ideas. Up started life as a film about a pair of alien princes living in a floating city; A Bug’s Life was completely rewritten nine months before its release. That’s not really how Shi works. “There was no clear-cut schedule or any structure to pitching these ideas, you can kind of go at your own pace,” she says. “For me, I just want to go fast because my worst fear is to overthink and overdo and overpolish something until it loses all of its uniqueness.”

So with Turning Red, Shi broke some rules. The movie, which lands on Disney+ on Friday, is largely faithful to her initial pitch—there are scenes from her early storyboards that now exist in much the same form. There’s a moment, for instance, where Meilin’s mother goes to her daughter’s school to spy on her, peering from behind a tree with binoculars, to Meilin’s total mortification. “You could tell some of these were coming from very personal experiences from Domee, and that’s always a drug when you hear a pitch,” says producer Lindsey Collins. “That’s not something you get out of the gate normally.”

Matt Jancer

David Nield

This focus on personal experiences has become something of a trend in Pixar’s recent works. Luca , which came out last year, was heavily influenced by director Enrico Casarosa’s own childhood—the impossible blues of summers on the Italian coast, the freedom and joy of exploration. Onward , although set in an urban fantasy world, was inspired by director Dan Scanlon hearing an audio clip of his father, who passed away when he was a child.

Personal experiences are also being reflected in the worlds the studio is crafting. Its early movies could be set anywhere: Toy Story and its sequels take place in the nebulous Tri-Counties Area, a vague approximation of Middle America with suburban streets and shopping malls and space-themed pizza arcades. Inside Out is about a girl whose family moves from Minnesota (home of director Pete Docter) to San Francisco—but if you swap Riley’s love of hockey out for something else, there’s little rooting the story to those places.

But 2020’s Soul , about a failing jazz musician who finds himself unwillingly in the afterlife, has New York woven throughout. Likewise, Turning Red is so linked to Shi’s life experiences that setting it anywhere but her hometown would have made it a completely different story. “I feel like Toronto and Vancouver are always pretending to be other, American cities in movies,” she says, referring to their popularity as shooting locations for Hollywood blockbusters. Setting the movie in a real place also counterbalances Shi’s anime- and manga-influenced animation style. That specificity extends to the time period of the movie—in this case, 2002. Meilin and her friends nurture Tamagotchis and obsess over 4*Town, a fictional boy band with some very catchy songs (written for the movie by Billie Eilish and her brother Finneas).

“We have the ability now to do so much more that we’re not afraid of grounding it in a real place,” Collins says, referring to the way improvements in technology have given Pixar’s animators more options. Shi remembers choosing skin swatches for characters with degrees of realism ranging from being able to see every pore to “plastic doll.” The makers of Toy Story really only had the second option in their toolkit in the mid-1990s. From Turning Red ’s animation style (“chunky but cute”) to its use of color (“pastel and bright and fresh”), the animators were able to bring the sensibilities of a 13-year-old girl to the forefront. “The goal wasn’t just to stylize it for the sake of stylization,” Collins says. “Since our character is a 13-year-old Asian girl, it was important for us to put that lens on when we were designing the world.”

After a string of hits, Pixar has the freedom to transition away from making movies “by dads, for dads,” as one Twitter commentator put it , and let a more diverse set of characters and creators take the wheel. The appeal of the studio’s latest crop of films is still broad; they just find their relatability in new places. “Even from the very first pitch,” Shi says, “it was important to me to latch onto, ‘What is this universal thing that we’re telling with this culturally specific paintbrush?’” She adds, “For Turning Red it’s this experience of growing up, of suddenly waking up one day and realizing you grew a couple of feet, you’re covered in body hair, and you’re hungry all the time. I think most people have an experience like that where they are just like an alien in their body.”  Predictably, some reviewers didn’t get it—after movies about robots and talking cars and clown fish, they felt a story about a 13-year-old Chinese girl was too unrelatable, too “narrow” and “limiting in scope.” But ultimately, the whole point of cinema is to transport you into the head of someone you’ve never met and teach you something about yourself in the process.  Pixar’s move toward more specific stories may break some of its award-winning rules, but the movies that result capture both the personal and the profound. Shi reflects on one of the first images she drew for her pitch—Meilin praying to her ancestors for a bigger cup size—something specific to a 13-year-old girl, sure, but that also speaks to wider issues around belonging and the dual lives so many of us have to live. “That really captured Mei and the movie,” she says. “That is the movie, it’s just this girl struggling with trying to survive puberty and change, but also trying to juggle these two worlds that she was born into.”

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Turning Red Parent Guide

An enormously fun movie, turning red is original, heartfelt, comic, and completely relatable..

Disney+: Thirteen year old Mei is navigating the challenges of adolescence and a demanding mother when a new problem enters the mix: She turns into a red panda when she feels strong emotions.

Release date March 11, 2022

Run Time: 99 minutes

Get Content Details

The guide to our grades, parent movie review by kirsten hawkes.

“We’ve all got an inner beast, a messy, loud part of ourselves hidden away.” So says Meilin (known as MeiMei and voiced by Rosalie Chiang). MeiMei is 13 years old and her statement aptly sums up the emotional turbulence of early adolescence. But MeiMei’s inner beast is scarier than most – when she feels intense emotion, the young girl transforms into a giant red panda.

MeiMei’s transformation alerts her to a hidden part of her family history. This gift is apparently a legacy from a brave ancestor who used her powers to protect her village in wartime, but, as MeiMie’s mother, Ming (Sandra Oh), points out, in a new country, the “blessing” is now an “inconvenience”. Fortunately, there is a ritual that will trap MeiMei’s panda inside an object, allowing her to live a normal life.

Turning Red is an enormously fun movie. It’s original, heartfelt, comic, and completely relatable. If you experienced adolescent conflict with your parents – or are on the other side of the coin – you know what it’s like to both love and hate the same person with guilty intensity. The messy relationship between MeiMei and Ming is the movie’s great strength, bringing it bone-deep authenticity. Unfortunately, it’s also the film’s weak spot because the movie explicitly endorses MeiMei’s rebellion, even when that includes lying to her mother and sneaking out of the house at night. We might sympathize with her, but most parents aren’t going to want their kids to assume that MeiMei’s behavior is an appropriate response to conflict with a parent, however unreasonable that parent might be.

Parents will also want to consider the level of violence in the film. It isn’t excessive or gory and is sometimes funny, but the panda battles will certainly scare preschoolers. Another factor to keep in mind is that menstruation is an ongoing subject in the film, and it’s always played for laughs. A miscommunication between mother and daughter has Ming believing that her daughter is hiding in the bathroom because she has started her period. Hilarious conversations ensue, as do plenty of jokes involving feminine hygiene products. They aren’t tasteless, and I laughed out loud, but unless you want the movie to trigger a facts-of-life discussion with your little one, this movie is best suited to kids who already know the basics of the birds and the bees.

Minor negative content aside, Turning Red can serve as a useful catalyst for discussions with tweens about the challenges they face with puberty, friendships, setting goals, and managing volatile emotions. It’s also a celebration of racial diversity. The movie is set in Toronto – for a change it’s not Toronto pretending to be another city as it is in so many films. This is the real Toronto, a bustling multicultural city, with a “majority minority” population, which is fully represented in the movie. Parents of any race who want their kids to see a world they identify with will find this movie helpful. And Canadians will have a ton of fun finding all the national easter eggs that director Domee Shi has hidden in plain sight.

Best of all, Turning Red is a reassuring story for young viewers who feel like they don’t fit in. MeiMei’s struggle to accept herself and to claim her place in her family and peer group will resonate with viewers of any age. That these valuable messages are delivered with such warmth, empathy, and humor, is a bonus for family audiences.

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Kirsten hawkes, watch the trailer for turning red.

Turning Red Rating & Content Info

Why is Turning Red rated PG? Turning Red is rated PG by the MPAA for thematic material, suggestive content and language.

Violence: A character has a disturbing dream sequence. There are supernatural scenes. A character kicks a school security guard. A character unintentionally causes a car accident; no injuries are seen. A student tries to throw a ball at a boy’s head but it breaks a window instead. A boy is attacked by an angry panda. A giant panda stomps through a stadium and battle with other panda bears. Sexual Content: There is coded mention of menstrual periods in a comedic context. In discussing menstruation, a mother tells her daughter to “protect her delicate petals”. Maxi pads are also mentioned and packages are seen. A girl draws idealized, romantic pictures of herself with a boy. Profanity: On a few occasions, characters say “OMG” but do not extend the phrase. Alcohol / Drug Use: None noted.

Page last updated January 10, 2024

Turning Red Parents' Guide

MeiMei rebels against her mother’s unreasonable expectations by lying and sneaking out of the house. How else do you think she could have dealt with her frustrations? To what extent do Ming’s parenting strategies arise out of her own problems and her experiences with her own mother? What do you think MeiMei and Ming could do to improve their relationship and communication?

Loved this movie? Try these books…

It can be hard to feel different from your peers. For kids who want to feel understood despite their differences, there are plenty of books that can help.

In Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You, Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Rafael Lopez share the challenges faced by a variety of children – and the powers those challenges give them.

Born without a right hand, Trace Wilson wrote Uniquely Me to help kids accept their differences. The book is illustrated by Ana Poeyo.

A Korean girl struggles to fit into an American school and accept her cultural background at the same time. Her attempts to find an “American” name and the reaction of her classmates is the story behind The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi.

Magical creatures fill Chinese folklore in Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon.

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There are some other films featuring Asian protagonists who are born with unusual abilities. In Kubo and the Two Strings , a young boy with a magical musical instrument and a storytelling gift must go on the run lest his power-mad grandfather find him. NeZha features a young boy who was possessed by a demon prior to birth. Now he struggles to control his own destiny.

Another young woman seeks assistance from unearthly powers in Over the Moon. Grieving for her mother, Fei-Fei builds a rocket to the moon in hopes that the Moon Goddess can confirm her faith in undying love.

With her kingdom all but destroyed and her father turned to stone, Raya seeks a magical being’s help in righting the world. Her adventures are retold in Raya and the Last Dragon .

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Christian Horner tells Daniel Ricciardo what he needs to do to land Red Bull seat

RB's Daniel Ricciardo.

Christian Horner has urged Daniel Ricciardo to show “head-turning form” if he is to challenge for a Red Bull seat as he intended for 2025.

The Red Bull team principal admitted Ricciardo has “underperformed” so far this season, before being punted out of the Chinese Grand Prix at the Safety Car restart by Lance Stroll in what had been one of his strongest weekends of the year to date.

Christian Horner: Daniel Ricciardo needs ‘head-turning form’ for Red Bull seat

Prior to out-performing team-mate Yuki Tsunoda in Shanghai before his retirement, Ricciardo has largely struggled to match the Japanese driver at RB so far this season.

With both drivers looking to place their bids to be Max Verstappen’s team-mate at the ‘senior’ Red Bull team next season, Horner confirmed both are being assessed for how they perform this year.

But with a highly-rated reserve in Liam Lawson ready for a drive, they also know they cannot rest on their laurels either.

Horner explained there is nothing decided yet for 2025, and there is still a long time yet for Ricciardo to stake a claim for a Red Bull drive – though it will take a solid upturn in performance.

“Well, I think that it’s pretty much in Daniel’s hands,” Horner told media in China when asked if Ricciardo is still in the running to be a Red Bull driver in 2025.

“He needs to show the kind of head-turning form to make not only ourselves but potentially to make others take notice – and we’re only at race five.

“Now, obviously, waiting in the wings is a driver with the talent of Liam Lawson, who naturally is champing at the bit to get an opportunity.

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“But there’s nothing pre-set or preordained as to when or even if that would take place. The priority is for sure for the drivers that are in the race seats at the moment and we’ll see how that pans out.

“It’s still early days, isn’t it? I mean, his season hasn’t really got going yet.

“He’s had some difficulties, and I think by his own admittance he would feel that he’s underperformed so far this year, but we’re only at race five.

“Obviously, we keep a close eye on the drivers, we keep a close eye on their development and I have to say, Yuki, conversely, has had a great start to the season and is driving very well.

“So, for us, as a sister team, we take a close interest on those drivers.”

Read next:  Nico Rosberg reveals huge Mercedes salary left on table after shock F1 retirement

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Unsung Hero

Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold on to theirs. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold on to theirs. Based on a remarkable true story, a mum's faith stands against all odds and inspires her husband and children to hold on to theirs.

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Challengers

What to know.

With its trio of outstanding performers volleying their star power back and forth without ever dropping the ball, Challengers is a kinetic and sexy romp at court.

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