Brave: Sierra explains why we disagree

Sierra just wrote a brilliant post explaining why we came to different conclusions about the movie Brave. (Read her review here and mine here.) I think she’s completely hit the nail on the head (as usual!):

I came away from watching Pixar’s Brave last Friday feeling a little let down by the high expectations I had after Tangled, but otherwise impressed. I was excited to see a film about a mother and daughter actually doing things together. In contrast, Libby Anne was worried about Merida’s willingness to give up her own dreams for her mother, and the one-sided message from the witch that put the burden of reconciliation on Merida alone.

I take her points to heart. If the writers intended to tell a story about the importance of putting your family’s approval above your own dreams, that’s a problematic message. I didn’t interpret it that way, but I can definitely see how Libby Anne could. The difference in emphasis that we each took away from the movie probably reflects our own present family situations post-fundamentalism.

My mother and I have reconciled. Libby Anne and hers have not.