From the moment the first trailer for Pixar’s Onward dropped, fans knew it was going to be a tear-jerker. After all, it's a Pixar movie about a pair of brothers trying to bring back their dead father so they can say one final goodbye. The film delivered on its promise to make viewers cry, but that’s not the only thing notable about the newest Pixar pic. Onward is more than an animated sob story, it’s a story about brotherhood, and it approaches the topic in a way that more movies should.
The brothers in Onward aren’t adversaries. They don’t beat each other up. They support each other throughout most of the movie, even though their patience is tested as they struggle to put together a spell to bring back their dad.
In the two characters, we see the challenge of brotherhood. The two couldn’t be more different if they tried. Barley, the older of the pair, is a geeky idealist obsessed with all things magic. In a world that has all but forgotten that magic ever existed, Barley is confident it is out there and he spends his time trying to learn everything there is to know about it. Magic is his whole identity.
In contrast, younger brother Ian is a skeptic; he’s not sure that magic exists, and he certainly doesn’t care about it to the same extent that Barley does. While Barley is loud and confident in who he is, Ian is shy and insecure. Although he loves his big bro, Ian can’t help but feel embarrassed by him. When the two of them embark on their quest, it seems all but certain that they’ll start to hate each other and the movie will be a string of constant arguments.
Instead, the two work surprisingly well together. Their relationship is refreshingly positive. Too often in movies, brotherhood is used as a source of rivalry and anger. Onward isn’t like that. Ian and Barley have each other’s backs. They mostly get along. And they allow one another to show vulnerability. There’s none of the toxic irreverence toward their emotions one would expect from a couple of teenage boys. They both miss their dad, and they don’t hide that.
Perhaps the biggest test of their relationship is the fact that while Barley is unable to perform any spells, they discover Ian possesses the magical ability to do so. For a magic fanatic like Barley, this seems like a slap in the face. However, Barley doesn’t become bitter or jealous of his little brother. Instead, he’s excited for him. He helps Ian understand his newfound abilities. This allows them to work together instead of sabotaging one another.
When they nearly fail in their quest and are at their darkest point, Ian lashes out at Barley and blames him for wasting their time with a hopeless quest. It’s a real moment of serious conflict. This doesn’t last long though. The pair make up when Ian realizes Barley has been a consistently positive influence in his life.
At the end of the film, Ian surprises his brother with a fresh paint job for his new van. It’s a small way for Ian to pay Barley back for all the good deeds he’s done for him over the years. Out of everything this movie has to offer, the relationship between Ian and Barley is what really makes the film worth watching. Onward shows how special brotherhood can be, and that’s something we should all celebrate.