“We don’t talk about Bruno…”
It’s one of the infamous song lines from the recent Disney movie, Encanto. But this song, and many others in the film, and the storyline in general should be talked about for their deeper meanings into personal and family relationships.
Without giving any spoilers away, the film underlyingly focuses on family dynamics. Like many families, there are good qualities and qualities that they would rather hide or forget about. But ultimately, being a family is what matters the most.
As a mother, I find myself relating to this movie in multiple aspects.
Carrying The Weight of the World
Luisa may be muscular physically, but emotionally she carries a lot of “weight” as well. As someone who is diagnosed with anxiety, I can truly relate to the non-physical weight as I carry it around daily. Anxiety has a significant impact on my life, as much as I wish it didn’t. I have some days where I can overcome the obstacles anxiety brings while other days I can’t get out of my head and accomplish anything, making me even more anxious. Being a mother has only increased my anxiety as I know it has for many others, too.
The Perfectionist
Like Isabela, I want and desire everything to be perfect. I need to be the perfect parent, perfect employee, perfect everything. Another characteristic of being perfect is the strive to not let anyone down, especially family members. I am my own worst critic when it comes to “failing” even if it is something minor. As a parent, I feel like I have “failed” in many aspects but recognize it’s important to show my children what it’s like to get back up after failing.
Avoiding Things That Are Uncomfortable
Bruno is different from the rest of his family and that makes characters in the movie uncomfortable. I avoid anything uncomfortable at all costs – I don’t like being pushed to do things that make me feel uneasy and prefer to stay in my bubble. As my children get older, I’m finding myself having more uncomfortable conversations and having to face so many unknowns with them. So while I can relate to the characters’ feelings towards Bruno, I also understand that just because something is different or uncomfortable doesn’t mean it should be hidden or not embraced.
While my kids may not have the same connection as I do to the characters in the film, it’s heartwarming that we can watch this movie together and relate to the characters on different levels.
