Encanto Review
“In our darkest moment, we were given a miracle.”
This is spoken by Abuela Madrigal, the family matriarch of Disney’s 2021 film Encanto. Encanto celebrates Colombian culture while also addressing the impact of generational trauma—that is, trauma passed down through the family lineage. Mirabel Madrigal takes audiences to an enchanting adventure of self-discovery and familial relationships. Through immersive storytelling, Encanto has presented itself as a miracle for those with similar backgrounds to be heard and to relate from their experiences.
Encanto centers around the Madrigal family and their special gifts that they use to help their community. Through the “Magic Candle”, the Madrigal family possesses super-strength or healing abilities, but Mirabel is the only person in her family who did not receive a special skill. As a result, Mirabel finds herself constantly yearning for her grandmother’s approval and finding ways to fit in with her family. However, when Mirabel discovers that the Encanto is in danger, she embarks on a quest to find a way to save it as well as her family.
Through her journey, Mirabel introduces the audience to the different members of her family in hopes of receiving answers on the Encanto. One pivotal character is Luisa, Mirabel’s elder sister who possesses super-strength. She expresses to her younger sister the immense pressure she feels in her role as the “strong one.” Luisa is seen as the protector of the family who bears more responsibility than she can handle, often unable to find support within her own family. Because Luisa displays a tough exterior, it is only when she confides in Mirabel that audiences see Luisa overworking herself to justify her role in the family. Similarly, when Mirabel communicates with her other elder sister, Isabella, who can create flowers and plants from thin air, audiences can find another perspective of a family that instills sociocultural pressure onto the future generation. Isabella’s confession to Mirabel is one that many first-born daughters (or women in general) have experienced. In fact, Encanto emphasizes the roles that women may play in their family when met with a traumatic event and the different coping mechanisms each develops.
With each child adopting some unique magical power, the family is continually pressured to use this power to help the community. This pressure manifests across generations and mirrors the generational trauma that, too, is passed between parent and child. Unrealistic expectations of the family’s use of their power results in only stress and anxiety.
Encanto’s dialogue, vibrant scenery, and engaging music surpass what can be said in words. Personally, while I am not of Colombian descent, I found the movie to be entertaining and meaningful based on my personal experiences. As a person of color, generational trauma is not a foreign concept to me, and I have witnessed the psychological toll it can hold on people in a family dynamic. Additionally, I thoroughly enjoyed meeting each Madrigal and the story’s approach to the different ways trauma can impact an individual. In particular, I really appreciated how the story did not antagonize, or blame, one specific person for passing down generational trauma.
While the message of self-worth and validating one’s emotions was gratifying, I thought the plot could have covered other details of the movie such as what Mirabel’s earlier years in the Madrigal home were like or include more interactions between her and the other members of her family; but where the plot was a bit lacking, the musical numbers made up for it. Each song captures each character’s outlook on their role as a Madrigal, and the lyrical composition ties together the importance of family in different functional settings.
Currently, Encanto has been met with much praise and approval by audiences around the globe. The movie also won Best Animated Feature Film at the 2022 Oscars. In a world like today where a pandemic has created challenges for many, the theme of family and a sense of genuine belonging for Encanto’s characters have offered a moment of togetherness for individuals. And as Mirabel says, “even in our darkest moments, there’s light where you least expect it.”