Changes: Luca

Revision as of 23:03, 30 July 2021

<<

Soul

Pixar Films Chronology

Turning Red

>>

"So, you’re the Screenslaver?"

Warning! This page contains spoilers about the movie Luca

"This summer, you’re invited to Portorosso."

—Tagline

Luca is an American 3D computer animated film produced by Pixar. It was released on June 18, 2021. The film was directed by Enrico Casarosa and produced by Andrea Warren as Pixar's 24th feature film. It premiered on Disney+ with no extra charge instead of its original theatrical release date.^[1] The score was be done by Dan Romer^[2]

Plot

Luca Paguro, a timid young sea monster living off the coast of the Italian city Portorosso, herds goatfish and is forbidden by his parents to approach the surface, as humans might hunt him. One day, Luca meets Alberto Scorfano, a fellow sea monster child who lives alone above the surface, claiming that his father simply isn't around much. Alberto encourages Luca to adventure out of the ocean, showing him that sea monsters look exactly human when dry, but return to their true forms when wet. Luca follows Alberto to his hideout, where the boys connect while making and riding a makeshift, fragile Vespa. Upon discovering their son's actions, Luca's parents plan to send Luca to live in the deep sea with his uncle Ugo. In retaliation, Luca and Alberto run away to Portorosso to find a Vespa and travel the world.

The boys run afoul of Ercole Visconti, a local bully and repeat champion of the Portorosso Cup Race, but Giulia Marcovaldo, a young girl, helps them escape. In hopes of winning the money needed for a Vespa, the boys and Giulia form a team for the triathlon, which involves swimming, pasta-eating, and biking. Unable to swim without revealing themselves, Luca and Alberto respectively take on the biking and pasta-eating races, while Giulia takes the swimming race. Ercole vows to beat the group.

While the boys befriend Giulia's fisherman father Massimo, Luca's parents head to the surface to find their son. Giulia teaches Luca about school, and the two bond over a love of learning, especially about astronomy. Alberto becomes jealous of Luca and Giulia's growing friendship. When Luca starts ignoring Alberto's advice, and tries changing their plans to going to school instead of traveling, he and Alberto fight. In anger, Alberto deliberately reveals his true form to Giulia. Luca feigns surprise at the transformation, and a heartbroken Alberto is driven off by Ercole. Giulia later deliberately splashes water on Luca and sees his true identity; she sends him away for his own safety.

Luca attempts to reconcile with Alberto, and discovers that Alberto's father deliberately abandoned him long ago, making Alberto think he was a bad kid who should not have friends. Luca sets out to win the Vespa on his own, to make things right. After several mishaps, Luca takes the lead in the bicycle race, but is forced to take shelter when it starts to rain. Alberto arrives with an umbrella, but Ercole knocks it away and both boys are revealed as sea monsters. They flee Ercole, who now intends to harpoon them; Giulia helps by smashing her bike into Ercole's, but she is injured. Luca and Alberto turn back to help her, and are defended from monster hunters by Massimo, who reveals that the boys are his friends. He also points out they have crossed the finish line and won the race. Other disguised sea monsters reveal themselves, including Luca's family, and the townsfolk happily welcome them. Meanwhile, Ercole is humiliated by his henchmen, who were fed up with his abuse.

Luca and Alberto purchase a Vespa, but the latter sells it to buy a train ticket for Luca, allowing him to go to school in Genoa with Giulia. Luca's family, Massimo, and Alberto see Luca and Giulia off at the train station, where they all promise to stay in touch. During the credits, Luca meets Giulia's mother and attends school, while showing off his sea monster appearance. Massimo becomes Alberto's father figure, and Alberto and Luca's family enjoy interacting with the humans in Portorosso. In a post-credits scene, Ugo talks to a stray goatfish about how great his life is in the depths of the ocean.

Cast

Jacob Tremblay as Luca Paguro, a 13-year-old sea monster curious about the world above the sea. He lives in the waters next to the Italian coast, in a farm where he herds goatfish with his parents. Although he's been warned his whole life that the human world is a dangerous place, he longs for something beyond his quiet farm life, so when Alberto takes him to explore Portorosso, his eyes open up to a whole world of possibilities. He and all other sea monsters have the ability to automatically adapt a human-form appearance once the skin is dry. Paguro means "hermit crab" in Italian.

Jack Dylan Grazer as Alberto Scorfano, a 14-year-old sea monster and Luca's best friend who is enthusiastic to explore the human world. He is a free-spirited, expressive and gregarious boy who is "all about having fun". Despite his outgoing and free-spirited nature, he secretly hates living alone, as it is revealed that his only parent figure abandoned him in an island tower, leading him to feel lonely and insecure. Scorfano means "redfish" in Italian.

Emma Berman as Giulia Marcovaldo, an Italian girl who is a outcasted misfit in Portorosso and later befriends Luca and Alberto. She is an "outgoing and charming adventurer with a love of books and learning".

Saverio Raimondo as Ercole Visconti, the local bully of Portorosso and the film's main antagonist. A repeat champion of the town's Portorosso Cup race despite many people pointing out he is too old for it, he is "a Vespa-owning, pompadoured blowhard who believes that everyone loves him and enjoys watching him eat sandwiches". He has two followers, Ciccio and Guido, who are ready to do his bidding. Raimondo reprised his role in the Italian-language dubbing of the movie.

Maya Rudolph as Daniela Paguro, a sea monster, Paguro's daughter, Lorenzo's wife and Luca's mother who's determined to keep her son safe.

Marco Barricelli as Massimo Marcovaldo, an Italian fisherman, cook, and Giulia's father. He is an imposing and tattooed man born with only one arm. Despite Luca and Alberto being intimidated by his big size and skill with a knife, Massimo has a soft heart, especially for his daughter.

Jim Gaffigan as Lorenzo Paguro, a sea monster, Ugo's brother, Daniela's husband and Luca's father, a "well-meaning, but sometimes distracted dad who's very passionate about raising his prize-winning crabs"; Gaffigan based his performance on his own parenting skills.

Peter Sohn and Lorenzo Crisci as Ciccio and Guido, Ercole's henchmen.

Marina Massironi as Mrs. Marsigliese, a lady who runs the Portorosso Cup race and its sponsor. Massironi reprised her role in the Italian-language dubbing of the movie.

Sandy Martin as Grandma Paguro, a sea monster, Daniela's mother and Luca's grandmother. Grandma knows that breaking some rules is a part of growing up, and she's a little too happy to look the other way if Luca's rebellious side should emerge.

Sacha Baron Cohen as Uncle Ugo, Luca's uncle and Lorenzo's brother.

Giacomo Gianniotti and Gino La Monica voice Giacomo and Tommaso respectively, two local fisherman (they reprised their roles in the Italian-language dubbing of the movie). Elisa Gabrielli and Mimi Maynard play Concetta and Pinuccia Aragosta, two elderly women who are actually sea monsters. Francesca Fanti voices a cop. Jonathan Nichols voices Don Eugenio, a local priest (voiced by Gino D'Acampo in the British version). Jim Pirri voices Mr. Branzino, a sea monster. Casarosa voices an angry fisherman and a Scopa player.