America's Values

Up wasn't supposed to be as big of a hit as it turned out to be. It wasn't a story about princesses or fish in the sea, but instead about an elderly man who finds an unlikely companion on a journey that he never was able to embark on, even though he had planned on it since childhood. I think Disney underestimated how popular Up would be, and did not realize that they touched on something deeper in the American psyche. I see Up as a brilliant creation because it allows for more than one age group to identify with the characters and story. From the eyes of a young child, the movie can be seen an visually spectacular, with the magical floating balloon house, and the adventure to Paradise Falls, the land lost in time. Children identify with the awkward, clumsy, hilarious character of Russell who loves adventure and the outdoors, while older viewers take a different stance on the plot. Older viewers can identify with the old America theme that seems to be portrayed by the movie. The theme of settling down with a happy life, building a house and following the American dream. This older generation identifies with the nostalgia of small town USA that is depicted in the earlier parts of the movie, yet they also have a deep disdain for the urbanization and destruction of these small town communities. The older crown will find a happiness in Carl's pursuance of a dream he had as a child, and his fulfillment of a promise he made to his wife whom had tragically passed away. Up is a magnificent film capable of engaging with multiple age groups, and portraying different messages to each audience. Whether is the childish dreams of adventure, the nostalgia for small town USA, or the fulfillment of childhood dreams and promises to a loved one, the film identifies with many different people, and Disney unknowingly or not hit on these key themes.