When my kids first heard that there was going to be a new Toy Story movie, they couldn’t have been happier. It makes sense because they’ve seen all four movies, probably fifty times each, have their own Woody, Buzz, Jessie and Forky dolls, and costumes to match. These characters hold a special place in their hearts, mine too, to be honest.
Directed by Andrew Stanton, co-directed by Kenna Harris, and written by Stanton and Harris, this new outing finds Jessie (Joan Cusack) taking the lead, with Buzz (Tim Allen), Woody (Tom Hanks) and the rest of the gang playing backup to both old and new characters. It was good to hear Hanks and Allen back in these roles again. There’s something instantly comforting about hearing Woody’s nervous, heartfelt voice and Buzz’s overly confident space-ranger seriousness. Even if the story belongs more to Jessie this time around, Woody and Buzz still bring that familiar spark that makes these movies feel like home.
Jessie and Bullseye’s life with Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) is hunky dory until the little girl’s friends catch wind that she’s still playing with toys. With all her friends playing with tablets, her parents get her a Lilypad (Greta Lee) to get her up to speed. And quickly, Jessie and Bullseye are yesterday’s news.
Lilypad is new and mesmerizing and she knows it, almost encouraging Bonnie to forget about her toys completely. She’s sleek, smart and always there with another game, video or distraction, slowly pulling Bonnie further away Jessie. At first, the toys think this is just a phase, but the longer Bonnie spends with Lilypad, the more Jessie realizes this isn’t the same as a new toy taking the spotlight. This is different. This is something that could make Bonnie stop playing altogether.
Soon, Jessie is getting help from the cavalry, so to speak, with Woody, Buzz and the gang trying to rescue Bonnie away from Lilypad and Big Tech. What starts as a mission to get Bonnie’s attention turns into something a little bigger, as the toys see that this isn’t just happening to their kid. It’s happening everywhere.
Like most of the Toy Story films, this one is about getting older and the loss of childhood innocence. This one, though, cut a little deeper, at least for me. My kids are right in that age range where they’re hopping back and forth between playing and their devices. But man, those devices have a hold on them and the gang, especially Jessie, know it. She’s not just worried about being left behind, she’s worried that Bonnie is missing out on something she won’t be able to get back.
There are a lot of funny jokes and characters here, like Woody’s new bald spot, Forky’s girlfriend, Trixie (Kristen Schaal) and Conan O’Brien’s Smarty Pants. Forky is still wonderfully weird, Buzz still has that perfect Tim Allen deadpan delivery and Woody, even in a smaller role, gets some terrific moments that remind you why Tom Hanks has always been the emotional center of these films.
There are two scenes that really got me, and they’re pretty much a variation of the same thought: As Woody climbs on top of a roof, he doesn’t see any kids playing with toys. All he sees are dark rooms illuminated by the lights of handheld screens. The other was when the toys are running away from a pack of dogs, they sprint into a house and not one person notices them because they’re all staring at their screens.
That’s when the movie works best, when it’s not just making a joke about kids and technology, but showing how sad it is when imagination gets replaced by scrolling.
Cusack is perfect. Jessie is angsty and rushed, because kids grow so fast and she knows she’s racing against the clock. Time is of the essence here, and Cusack gives her this frantic, desperate energy that makes the whole thing feel more personal. Jessie isn’t trying to save the world. She’s trying to save her kid.
I took my oldest daughter to the screening and she absolutely loved it. On the drive home, I asked her who her favorite character was.
“Lilypad,” she said from the backseat.
And now I know how Jessie felt.
