Last weekend I took the time to re-watch UP. It certainly stands up to the test of time. Nice visuals, quirky animals: classic Disney/Pixar stuff.
I’ve been reflecting on the message that UP presents and I wanted to analyze some of its elements and share that with you.
There will be spoilers… but the movie came out in 2009 so I think the no spoilers courtesy buffer has long since come down.
UP is a story about and old grump rediscovering his spirit of adventure. In other words, his sense of wonder.
In the beginning of the film we get the very famous sequence of Carl Fredricksen’s life as he grows up with his wife, Ellie. It leads up to where he’s an old man, Ellie has died, the vibrant colors of the opening sequence are replaced with dulled colors and a crotchety Fredricksen.
There is a corporation tearing down everything surrounding his house in order to build skyscrapers.
The image of his house is in direct opposition to the buildings around him. Where they are grey, bland buildings, his house appears to be from another era where form was also a consideration in building homes and buildings, not just function. It’s also contrasted by the colorful paint Fredricksen and his wife put on it when they were newlyweds.
A man wearing a black suit and a white shirt is trying to gain control of Fredrickson’s property and thus be able to completely fill the street with skyscrapers. The man also has pale, dull skin which I thought was a nice touch. It emphasizes his soulless, empty nature beyond that of his bland clothing.
After an incident involving Fredricksen and one of the construction workers, Fredricksen loses a court case and is ordered to move into a retirement home. He defies this by turning his house into an airship using thousands of balloons and flying away. Thus beginning his journey to Paradise Falls. The wondrous place that he and his late wife had always dreamed of living.
UP is a story about loss as much as it is discovery and rebirth. Throughout most of the movie, Fredricksen is totally focused on getting his house to Paradise Falls; only begrudgingly going along with what his companions want to do. It’s understandable, the house represents his late wife and the dreams they shared together.
Fredricksen’s companions are a husky boy scout named Russell, a colorful, legendary bird named Kevin, and an endearing, talking golden retriever named Dug.
Eventually, he comes across his childhood hero, Charles Muntz. Decades ago, he vowed to not return from Paradise Falls until he’s captured a certain legendary bird alive.
Fredricksen’s childhood hero turns out to be deranged. Having killed anyone who wanders into Paradise Falls over the years believing them to secretly be out to get the bird before he can.
Fredricksen ends up battling Muntz and his dogs in order to protect himself and his new friends. He has to let go of his house in the process. The thing he held onto so dearly up to that point.
Fredricksen and friends win the battle. Then they use Muntz’s blimp, the aptly named, Spirit of Adventure, to return home.
Taking ownership of the blimp of that name was both symbolic and physical for Fredricksen. Where once he was a disenchanted, grumpy old man who clung to distant memories, he is now fulfilled and has become a father figure to Russell. He also owns a blimp and a lot of dogs. Sounds like a dream if you ask me.
In my reflections of the movie, I noticed a sad truth that UP presents to us. More often than we like to admit, we become like Mr. Fredricksen before he goes on The Hero’s Journey as we age: grumpy, close-minded, and tired of life.
Life is tough. By default, it’s the toughest thing we will ever do. It can be easy to let it beat you down. There’s a reason the stereotype/trope of a grumpy old man exists.
I’m by no means old, I’ll only be turning 24 this year. Even so, I feel massively more intelligent and wise than I was just two years ago. Go back four, six, eight years ago and that gap increases more. While I wouldn’t trade what I know now for the blissful ignorance I once had, I do sometimes catch myself being pessimistic and embittered. At least more than I once was.
I’m glad I’m able to notice this behavior so I can correct it. Any of you youngsters that might be reading this, I hope you do too. That goes for the oldsters too.
You can be like Fredrickson, grumpy, smacking the alarm clock in the morning, and clinging to his past. Not that memories and the knowledge you glean from them are a bad thing, of course.
Or you can be like Fredrickson, uprooting his house with a giant mass of balloons and going on an adventure he’s dreamed about his whole life, only to find a new one and regain his spirit of adventure.
You don’t have to try and uproot your house with balloons. There are certainly easier ways to do it.
One way that’s been working for me on my own temperamental vigil is simply spending less time looking at the news. I don’t do it to such a degree where my head is in the sand; but I also don’t do it to a degree where I’m bogged down and annoyed by the bad in the world and the talking heads that make it worse.
The balloon thing won’t work anyway.
Nonetheless, I believe the message of UP is to maintain or rediscover your spirit of adventure. Life is hard no matter what. You might as well do it with a smile on your face and a talking dog by your side.
Don’t be a Scrooge. Be a Fredricksen.
Thank you for reading.
P.S. In Scrooge’s defense, his story is similar. Going from a cranky old fart to an old fart who’s rediscovered his love of life. But you get the point.