Disney’s Encanto did not just give a stellar soundtrack, but on top of that, the film left behind an empowering message for children and adults. The film is full of magic that brings excitement right into your very own living room screen. Encanto can be accessed through Disney+, and new watchers can experience the never seen story of Mirabel and the Madrigal family.

The story of the Madrigal’s family stems back to a blessing they received long ago when a sacrificed was made to save the family.  Following as a gift, the family was given a “casita” , a magical house that would watch after them, and a candle that would grant them all powers. However, with powers comes personal hardships, and throughout the duration of the film the screenwriters build on an essential theme of how to deal with personal traumas. The plot of the film was well thought out leaving the audience with a better mindset then they came. 

The movie follows the main character, Mirabel, who was not given a gift but she learned a more valuable lesson towards the end of the film and sees past it by finding herself becoming a huge support for her family which is more important than a power.

The head of the family, Abuela, is so caught up in the magic that their family was given that she shifted in behavior, which resulted in her forgetting about putting her family first which placed a lot of pressure on everyone. 

For example, Isabella, Mirabel’s sister, got a lot of praise for being the golden child who can grow flowers. She also almost married a man that she did not want in order to please her family. Mirabel later embraced Isabella and learns that she has been controlled her entire life. Isabella’s character is the perfect example that it is ok to not be perfect by any means and that feeding into that pressure is toxic. Her character is the perfect role model for those who find themself pleasing others while also forgetting to balance your own personal needs. 

“How Far Can I Go?” is a song within the film and the song was as elegant and beautiful as Isabella’s persona. The audience feel as if they are sucked into the film as they watch her explore her power and break the status quo that her abuela forced her to abide by.

Luisa, Mirabel’s older sister, was given the gift of super strength and she is found helping with all the heavy lifting chores around the town. However, in enduring the long list of chores she found herself taking on a lot. The filmmakers were clever and encapsulated her pain and trauma into a musical sequence. The song “Under Pressure” is from Luisa’s perspective of how she is handed down everything and is looked at whenever something needs to be taken care of.

Isabella and Luisa dealt with their own personal traumas far exceeding the other characters, that being because the imagineers of the film wanted to highlight their growth. They had to learn to adapt and teach the audience how to cope and get out of the mindset that they found themself in. 

Mirabel finds her true purpose which is bringing her family together after they found themselves drifting apart. She learns that you do not need a gift to feel or be special. Everyone is capable of extraordinary things. Mirabel demonstrates how you can be just as equally as important whether or not you carry around superhuman powers. Many kids can learn that comparing yourself to others the way Mirabel did, which had the ability to bring you down.

The film was super touching and was a great experience. Families would find themselves enjoying watching the film together. There were plenty of messages that everyone can take away from the film and it was worth the time and energy.