Encanto Review: Disney Animation Is Familiar, But Still Heartwarming & Magical

[Night hunter]

Though it can't quite break out of the Disney mold, Encanto is greatly aided by a unique story, a delightful cast of characters, and a vital message.

Over the course of 59 animated movies, Disney has worked out the perfect formula for tugging at an audience's heartstrings: create an earnest and relatable main character, weave equal amounts of joy and melancholy into the story, and sprinkle in some catchy tunes. The studio's 60th feature, Encanto, follows this formula down to the letter, making for a familiar tale. And yet, it's hard to resist the charms cast by directors Byron Howard and Jared Bush, as well as co-director Charise Castro Smith (Bush and Smith wrote the screenplay, based on a story from all three directors, Jason Hand, Nancy Kruse, and Lin-Manuel Miranda). This original tale, which already holds plenty of magic within its plot, is the perfect dose of comfort food for families at the end of this trying year. Though it can't quite break out of the Disney mold, Encanto is greatly aided by a unique story, a delightful cast of characters, and a vital message.

Encanto starts out with a helpful bit of exposition to introduce viewers to the eccentric Madrigal family. Years ago, matriarch Abuela Alma (María Cecilia Botero) was blessed with a miracle in the form of a magical house, a practically sentient building that gifts special abilities to each of Abuela's descendants. Abuela's children and grandchildren all received gifts with no issues... until Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz), a plucky, eager girl who just longs to make her family proud. For some inexplicable reason, Mirabel is the only Madrigal without any special gift, thus making her an outsider within her close-knit family. Her efforts to be useful to Abuela sometimes lead to more problems than intended, but when the Madrigals' house starts to lose its magic, Mirabel just might be the only one who can save it.