Soul (2020)
Kernel Score: 90% · 11,234 ratings · Rated PG
Genres: Animation, Family, Comedy, Fantasy, Drama, Music
Released: 2020-12-25
Runtime: 101 minutes
Is Soul worth watching?
Must-watch. Pixar's funny, thoughtful film about a jazz teacher who loses his body and must work out what makes life worth living. It is warm and inventive, and adults may get more from it than kids.
Watch it if you
- love Pixar's more thoughtful films
- like jazz and music
- enjoy big ideas told simply and warmly
Skip it if you
- want a simple, kid-only adventure
- dislike abstract, philosophical ideas
Best for: Family movie night
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Soul
- Stream: Disney+, Hulu
- Rent: Apple TV, Fandango At Home
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Joe Gardner is a middle school teacher with a love for jazz music. After a successful audition at the Half Note Club, he suddenly gets into an accident that separates his soul from his body and is transported to the You Seminar, a center in which souls develop and gain passions before being transported to a newborn child. Joe must enlist help from the other souls-in-training, like 22, a soul who has spent eons in the You Seminar, in order to get back to Earth.
Soul parents' guide: ages 6+
Parents need to know that Soul is a PG Pixar film about purpose, self-discovery, and life after death.
- Violence & scariness: A little — Involves a near-death accident but no graphic violence.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Soul
If you liked Soul, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- Inside Out (2015) — 89%: Pixar film about emotions and growing up.
- Up (2009) — 87%: Moving Pixar adventure that handles loss gently.
- Coco (2017) — 90%: Music-driven story about family, memory and the afterlife.
- WALL·E (2008) — 90%: Imaginative, wordless-in-parts story with a big heart.
- The Wild Robot (2024) — 91%: Touching animated tale about belonging.
- Monsters, Inc. (2001) — 89%: Another Pixar world with a warm, funny heart.
Director
Cast
- Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner (voice)
- Tina Fey as 22 (voice)
- Graham Norton as Moonwind (voice)
- Rachel House as Terry (voice)
- Alice Braga as Counselor Jerry (voice)
- Richard Ayoade as Counselor Jerry (voice)
- Phylicia Rashād as Libba Gardner (voice)
- Donnell Rawlings as Dez (voice)
- Questlove as Curly (voice)
- Angela Bassett as Dorothea (voice)
Soul FAQ
Is Soul worth watching?
Must-watch. Pixar's funny, thoughtful film about a jazz teacher who loses his body and must work out what makes life worth living. It is warm and inventive, and adults may get more from it than kids.
Where can I watch Soul?
In the US you can stream Soul on Disney+ and Hulu and rent it from Apple TV and Fandango At Home.
Is Soul OK for kids?
Soul is rated PG. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 6+. Parents need to know that Soul is a PG Pixar film about purpose, self-discovery, and life after death.
What movies are like Soul?
If you liked Soul, try Inside Out, Up, Coco and WALL·E.