Encanto is arguably one of Disney’s best productions in the last decade and beyond, but not only for the superficial reasons. Sure, we all loved the music and the magic, but nearly five years later, it has become clear that there was more to this movie than that. Beyond the magical house and glowing candles, Encanto serves up some real talk about the emotional baggage we all carry from our families. Which is exactly why it has resonated with audiences.
Its authentic exploration of family dynamics, the kind that transcends global boundaries, ensured that it appealed to a wide audience. It’s pulled you in with song and dance and kept you seated with narratives that felt true even in your home. Suffice it to say that what keeps viewers coming back for more after all these years is how Encanto perfectly depicts the pressure to be the “good” family member even when you’re struggling on the inside. Especially then. With that said, let’s revisit why this movie still hits home.
How the Madrigals’ “Gifts” Mirror Real-Life Pressure
In Encanto, almost every one of the Madrigal children has a magical gift. However, a closer look reveals that those gifts are just fun ways to show the roles we get stuck in within our own families. Each power comes with a set of rules that can start to feel like a trap with time. Take Luisa (voiced by Jessica Darrow), for instance; she is the strong one, literally. Her physical strength, which she uses for tasks such as carrying donkeys, lifting bridges, and assisting everyone in town, is truly remarkable.
Yet, Luisa’s experiences are the perfect example of what it’s like to be everyone’s go-to person in crisis. Her song, “Surface Pressure”, is for everyone who has been told, “You can handle it”, even when it’s obvious you’re breaking into a million tiny pieces. Ultimately, the visual of her struggling while everything around her falls apart is a perfect illustration of what burnout looks like.
While Luisa’s “stay strong” dilemma resonates with most people, some are like Isabela (voiced by Diane Guerrero). She’s the golden child, the perfect one who has to stay beautiful, graceful, smile through her tears, and make everything look easy. In fact, her whole identity is about being flawless until her song, “What Else Can I Do?” Disney used that moment to show viewers something very important: you don’t have to be perfect to be worthy. There’s freedom in just being yourself without worrying about meeting society’s expectations.
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‘Encanto’ Still Hits Hard Because It’s Not Afraid of Real Conversations
At its core, Encanto is a movie about how a family finally learns to see, hear, and love each other beyond their magical powers. It’s important to note that the whole thing with the Madrigals and their special gifts started with Abuela Alma (voiced by María Cecilia Botero). She’s a widow who lost her husband in tragic circumstances and had to rely on magic to save what was left of her family. The traumatic experience of losing her spouse and their home forces her to rule the family with a sort of “iron fist” to protect their home and ensure everyone’s safety.
The Casita, a magical house, is physically crumbling under the weight of all the pressure that Abuela is putting on the whole family with her exacting standards. When it eventually collapses while Abuela and Mirabel (voiced by Stephanie Beatriz) are arguing, it serves as a physical representation of what happens when family members wait too long to have difficult conversations. This is the kind of difficult conversation Abuela had with Mirabel by the river. She admits she had been so scared of losing the family home that she didn’t realize her own actions were the very thing destroying it.
Another reason why Encanto still packs a punch is how it shows us that healing doesn’t happen overnight. Case in point, the Madrigals had to rebuild their broken Casita and their trust in each other. But the most important thing is that they did it together, which is the real point. True healing takes time and hard work, and sometimes everything has to fall apart before we can build something stronger.
So go ahead, watch Encanto again on Disney+. Look for the magic in the small details. Who knows? Maybe that magic might just inspire you to have a real, honest conversation with your own family.
