On March 11, 2022, Pixar released its new film Turning Red, which sparked controversy over the film's subject matter of the female experience of adolescence and puberty. Some believe that the subject matter is inappropriate for young audiences, while many others argue the importance of learning about--and shedding the taboo of-- puberty and menstruation.
Pixar cleverly depicts how these opinions affect a young girl, and how the range of human intelligence help or hinders her. Some of the film's characters are book smart, some are emotionally intelligent, and some show neither ability. Turning Red covers a spectrum of characters, from those who use their smarts to get what they want, to those who can't make it on their own, no matter how hard they try.
Devon
Mei's love interest, Devon, spends his days working at the local convenience store and being admired by Mei and her friends. His intelligence is put to the test when confronted by Mei's mother, Ming, over some very embarrassing drawings.
Devon's lack of intelligence falls on the low end of the spectrum because he doesn't seem to want anything, much less get what he wants through any of his own means. Devon has no personal goals, likes, or dreams. He doesn't even seem to make much out of Mei's drawings of himself. Unless he starts to show a little more focus, and a little less gaping mouth, Devon will unlikely amount to much more.
Abby
Abby is the most singule-minded of Mei's three best friends. She says what she wants, without a filter, and her life seems to hinge on the most basic of human urges, such as eating food and petting the panda. Her actions are instinctual, rather than intellectual, which leads to some of the best quotes in Turning Red.
Abby would be a great friend to have in a physical emergency, such as a natural disaster or bicycle accident. She could be counted on to help with problems, without delay or squeamishness. But if an ordeal arose that needed a nuanced approach, Abby's actions may not be the most advantageous. She may involuntarily react in an outrageous way that could worsen the outcomes for everyone.
Tyler
Tyler is a bully, and therefore, one of the least emotionally smart characters in Turning Red. His taunts are simple, immature and witless, and he makes an egregious slip up that reveals a big secret. Tyler does show a little cleverness (although villainous) when he blackmails Mei.
Tyler relies on his bad behavior for attention, instead of any skills or talents. These missing traits likely account for his lack 0f self-confidence as well. Having everything taken care of for him, due to his wealthy upbringing, and his lack of accountability, due to his parent's denial, could be the source of his issues. All this aside, Tyler's blackmail scheme shows a modicum of street smarts, and he gets what he wants.
Ming Lee
First-time Pixar voice actor Sandra Oh, voices Mei's mom, a character who is smart enough to run her own business and was a math wiz back in her school days. However, she was so clueless to her daughter's embarrassment, she proved herself almost completely lacking in emotional intelligence.
Not preparing for Mei's change was an inexcusable blunder. And the way Ming humiliated her daughter, time and time again, was so overt, she became the film's most oblivious character. Ming was so worried about tradition, she couldn't see her daughter was in pain. All of this seriously questions her intelligence. Good intentions aren't enough when the empathic areas of the brain atrophy to the point of uselessness.
Mr. Gao
James Wong, who played the evil Lo Pan in Big Trouble in Little China, voices Mr. Gao. This time, however, Wong plays a much kinder, if still mystical, character. While a small player in the film, Mr. Gao no doubt knows his craft and he shows a wise calmness in the heat of the moment.
Mr. Gao knows not to get in the middle of the family disputes. He knows when to sit back, eat his meal and wait for the main event. Mr. Gao is there for a job and he's going to do it. However, he does say too much when he scares Mei about the ceremony, an unintentional and emotionally unintelligent act, which disallows Mr. Gao from being the smartest character in the film.
Priya
Priya proves herself to be a great right-hand to Mei, always having what she needs, which makes for some great Turning Red best friendship moments. Priya is goal-driven; she wants to go to the concert and she helps their plan to get there. Priya instinctually knew what was best for Mei, despite what the adults said. Her calm and cool demeanor shows confidence and smarts.
Priya's a prime example of how a person of few words can still have a lot going on inside their head. What keeps Priya down, however, is how she seems to be just another part of the gang. Because she doesn't say a lot, she also doesn't give many opinions of her own, or talk about the direction she wants to head in herself. She comes off as more of a follower than as a person with individual goals and aspirations.
Miriam
Miriam is one of the most likable characters. She's an average goofy kid with a passion for boy-band music and getting into trouble. She's a bit of a follower like the rest of the gang, but Miriam speaks up more than the rest. Like Abby and Priya, Miriam always knew what was right for Mei, even when the adults did not.
Miriam fulfills some of the basics of intelligence by knowing what she wants, having ideas on how to get there, and being able to adapt if things go wrong. She may not be able to write a coherent note in class, but Miriam can express her feelings in a very thoughtful and deliberate manner. Also, her ability to forgive Mei is a sign of deep emotional intelligence.
Jin Lee
Mei's father, Jin Lee, started out a bit aloof, staying out of the intense situations between Mei and her mother. He can cook beautiful cuisine, but his focus seems as foggy as his glasses. In one of the best films where people become animals, Jin is often just a bystander.
While he should have been prepared for Mei's furry problem, Jin realized the key to happiness for his daughter much sooner than his wife did. He recognized that what his wife's family saw as traditionally wrong, was really an individual choice for his daughter, and not up to anyone else. He put aside his own fears to do what's right for Mei.
Wu, Mei's Grandmother
Mei's Grandmother may be cold, harsh, and overbearing, but as soon as she saw Mei's problem, she understood the stakes, knew the solution, and oversaw the process herself. Wu knew her daughter couldn't handle the situation on her own, and even brought her sisters as backup.
Wu understood from experience what an important event this was for Mei and their family. When it comes to her daughter, Ming, Wu was fully aware of the problems in their relationship. She knew why it took a wrong turn, and she doesn't want to see Mei make the same mistake. Wu revealed that her hard outside was only a shell for her self-aware, emotionally intelligent core.
Mei Lee
The smartest person in Turning Red is also the lead character, Mei. She's an excellent student, flutist, and tour guide at her family's business. Mei figures out what causes her to turn red, she concocts a plan to raise money, and she decides what's best for herself, despite her mother.
Mei proves herself to be book smart, street smart, and emotionally self-aware. Where some characters rely on one brand of smarts, Mei combines all of hers into powerful potions that can take on anything. What deficits she may start out with, such as kowtowing to her mother's wishes, Mei soon overcomes by knowing what she wants, forming a plan, and following it through to the end.