Leap! is an animated children’s movie released in 2016 that follows the story of two best friends, Félicie and Victor. Félicie dreams of becoming a ballerina and Victor dreams of becoming an inventor and they hatch a plan to escape their orphanage in rural 19th century France. After they escape to Paris, they split up to chase their dreams. Despite its short duration, Leap! packs together several unique animation styles, character designs, and wholesome lessons.
To start, the animation style and designs piqued my interest when I rewatched Leap! This film wasn’t created by a well-known animation studio; it was instead a co-production between Canadian and French companies. This explains why the character designs don’t have the conventional, cartoonish body proportions that bigger studios overuse, so Victor and Félicie appear their age.
Furthermore, the designs of the characters aren’t uniform and are therefore not boring. Every character in the movie, including minor side characters, has unique facial features and hairstyles. Additionally, Félicie is seen in several different outfits, adding visual variety and making the scenes more appealing.
I really enjoyed how the movie portrayed one of its main themes: the difference between passion and perfection. Camille, Félicie’s rival, is a strong, snobby ballerina who undoubtedly believes that her perfect form would secure her spot in an upcoming performance. But Félicie makes Camille miss her auditions by stealing her identity, joining them under her name. After Camille finds out, their rivalry intensifies, eventually resolving with a dance battle. When Félicie performs a difficult ballet jump down a flight of stairs while Camille hesitates, it is decided that Félicie has won. At the end of the battle, the dance teacher asks both Camille and Félicie the big question: Why do you dance? Camille admits that her mother forces her to, which is why she lacks emotion. Félicie confidently answers the question, explaining how dancing was always a part of her life and her dream.
There is a noticeable difference between passion and perfection, especially in the arts, and I admire how this movie exhibited that theme through young, ambitious characters. Additionally, I appreciate how Camille, who was clearly unlikable at times, was never villainized or discriminated against by the other characters. Félicie battled against her by proving to her that you can’t succeed in ballet if you lack the emotion that the art form requires.
Leap! is one of my favorite movies, even though this was my first time watching it after many years. It has the perfect balance of visual, comedic, and thematic beauty that not many other animated children’s films contain. I recommend this movie if you enjoy the occasional silly gags and strange character tropes often found in children’s movies. There’s a lot to enjoy and learn from watching this movie, no matter your age.
