Soul

Who would have thought an animated saga about an ordinary middle-school band teacher could encapsulate the universal essence of life and death?

The bittersweet adventure Soul is among the best entries in the esteemed Pixar canon. Conceptually simple, it carries a profound complexity beneath the surface, depicting an existential crisis that becomes a life-affirming examination of ambition, regret, obsession, insecurity, fear, and joy.

The film follows Joe (voiced by Jamie Foxx), who’d rather ditch his Queens classroom to use his talents as a jazz pianist. But when he lands an audition for saxophone legend Dorothea Williams (Angela Bassett), Joe suffers an accident that knocks him unconscious.

As Joe’s body is transformed into a clear blob headed toward a white light, viewers are transported to the Great Before, where his soul escapes presumably for a last-ditch second chance. But first, as explained by the caretakers of this chaotic alternate realm, he’s assigned to mentor an unborn perpetual troublemaker known as 22 (Tina Fey).

He’s supposed to help 22 find her “spark,” but when they slip into a portal back to New York, where Joe has a club gig that night, there’s a mishap that becomes life-or-death for both of them.

Eventually, Joe realizes their shared adventure — literally two lost souls finding purpose in one another — is just as much about finding his own spark, and shaping his destiny. “This isn’t about my career. It’s my reason for living,” he explains.

Pixar has consistently raised the bar in terms of computer animation, and this effort is no exception, with crisp character features and meticulous background detail. Its rendering of New York is vibrant and richly textured.

As directed by Pete Docter (Inside Out), the film somehow makes its loopy cosmic mumbo-jumbo accessible and relatable as we tag along on Joe’s out-of-body journey.

It might be too dense and high-minded for small children — exploring astral plains and theoretical constructs, for example — although their patience will be rewarded with a payoff that sings. The pace remains lively, even when its themes don’t always connect.

Soul manages to seamlessly combine a metaphysical quest through the afterlife with broad gags about body swapping. Along the way, it blends humor and pathos in perfect harmony.

Rated PG, 100 minutes.