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Alienation is not an alien concept to most of us. It’s a feeling that almost everyone has experienced in their lives – that sense of not belonging, not being accepted, or not feeling understood.

© Pixar.

For little Elio, this feeling of alienation started early on in his life – and in the movie – as we’re first introduced to him grieving the loss of both his parents, crouching underneath the corner of a table, clutching two astronaut figures. 

I appreciated how we’re immediately given a sense of who Elio is from the moment we meet him. This hook made it easy for me to not just understand, but empathise with him – and then continue to experience all the emotions he goes on to feel throughout the film.

Not just for Elio, though, but the film wastes no time unravelling plot and characters.

© Pixar.

Elio’s pacing is great. It’s a tightly woven, original story that felt like a breath of fresh air amidst all the remakes, sequels, and spin-offs. 

Set in the present day, Elio follows the story of a young boy grappling with overwhelming grief after the loss of his parents. Now living on a military base under the care of his aunt Olga – an organised, no-nonsense officer voiced by Zoe Saldaña – Elio (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) struggles to connect with the world around him. Olga, despite her best efforts, finds herself emotionally out of depth, unsure how to reach the withdrawn child in her care.

Things begin to shift during a visit to a space exploration museum.

© Pixar.

Elio is captivated by a display about NASA’s Voyager 1 probe, which famously launched in 1977 carrying a message of peace to the stars. Inspired and desperate for connection, Elio begins broadcasting heartfelt messages to the cosmos, hoping some alien life might hear him – because, in his mind, no one on Earth seems to care.

A strange twist of fate sees his signals answered. Aliens make contact and Elio hastily sends a message back, ending it with an “OK bye love you!” without an ounce of shame.

© Pixar.

Oh, to be a child with zero inhibitions.

Mistaken for Earth’s representative, Elio is whisked away by the Communiverse, a diplomatic, intergalactic council.

© Pixar.

There, he’s tasked with mediating a tense situation involving Lord Grigon, a domineering alien leader (voiced by Brad Garrett) bent on conquest. But instead of finding conflict, Elio meets Glordon (Remy Edgerly), Grigon’s quiet, misunderstood son.

© Pixar.

Yet while Elio and Glordon’s friendship brings moments of lightness and wonder, the real emotional core lies in Elio’s evolving relationship with Olga. What begins as a strained connection – driven by pain, miscommunication, and Elio’s desire to escape – slowly transforms. Their journey is messy, heartfelt, and ultimately hopeful, grounding the film in something real and deeply human.

Elio surprises at times, veering into directions that feel unexpected but emotionally rewarding.

© Pixar.

It also surprised me how scary some scenes were, complete with signature horror-movie-aesthetics like jarring music and unsettling shadowy figures in the dark. I did wonder if it would be too much for kids, but kids these days could do a lot worse just by scrolling through YouTube shorts.

© Pixar.

Plus, animation is one of the best ways to communicate heavy topics, both to kids and adults. Movies like Monsters Inc. or The Simpsons are examples, and Elio does really well to offer us a story about loss, love, and the quiet courage it takes to let someone in again.

If you still haven’t done anything for Father’s Day yet, Elio is surprisingly a great pick to watch with Dad. Grigon and Glordon’s father-son relationship is a fitting reminder of what family’s all about – even aliens don’t want to be alienated.

Elio will play in cinemas nationwide from 19 June 2025.

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