Is “Up” sad? Definitive answer

For various rather long-winded reasons, I’m considering sharing the film in a corporate group chat to cheer up my employees. Have just been alerted to the fact this may not go down well as it’s “very sad” (quote). I often have difficulty judging “public mood”, especially when it comes to emotion, so thought I’d ask some advice/do a poll of sorts to determine how many people consider it sad? I seem to remember acquaintances calling it “heartbreaking” when it first came out. I find it rather… uplifting?

I know this thread looks like a joke but I am serious, don’t want to depress my team.

Edit: Happy to update thread title if Yoda allows it, but what do people think re: Pixar? What’s an uplifting Pixar title? Ratatouille?

I don't think Up is the best film to cheer up a group of people. Some will find it uplifting but others will find the aging and death themes of the first segment depressing. Just how I see it, others might not see it that way.

Nah, you clearly have a point. Knew something was off about it.

Maybe post some more uplifting movie titles and see what the MoFo's say?

Maybe. Thanks.

It's bittersweet. Whether the balance leans more to happy than sad, or vice verse depends on the viewer, I think. Most people are trapped in a youth culture, suppressing death awareness by focusing on one end of life, where the pretty people live. Being confronted with death, decay, and loss is a bit too much. Even being reminded of this is a bit of an affront. "Rage against the dying of the light! And stop showing me sad movies with old people!" So, I'll vote "sad" on the reader-response question.

Fair enough. I’m so with you on that. I encountered death really early on and then some, so I guess I genuinely don’t feel as threatened by it or by the idea of ageing, hence don’t take exposure to them to be “sad”.

I agree with the adjective "bittersweet" to describe Up

It is a redemption story:


The protagonist is consumed by loss and regret.
The Boy Scout is sorely missing a Father Figure.
Dug is at the bottom of his pack hierarchy and is the subject of abuse
Kevin is being relentlessly hunted.


All of that works out in the end. But I agree with the others in that the movie is too "touching" to inspire positive energy in the workplace.



"Ratatouille" is a better choice. How about a Jerry Lewis flick?

Thank you, understood. What Lewis film would you suggest? I’ve seen relatively few.

I didn't think it was sad as people made it out to be. I watched it and thought, that's it? But these are the same people who could not bring themselves to watch Schindler's List when I recommended it to them either.

I can totally understand why people might not want to watch Schindler’s List and it’s certainly up to them. I doubt that’s because it’s “sad”. Read what Terry Gilliam says about the film. There are issues with Schindler’s List which extend far beyond the “sad” aspect. I was in Jerusalem last year with a group of friends, and many people argue that the fact Schindler is buried in Mount Zion Cemetery is quite surreal — not in a good way.

to me this scene of the movie is sad

Yes, I suppose so.

The distinction between happy and sad is kind of a facile one. When I watch Up I feel both things, and I think it's a limitation in our language and forms of expression, and not the emotions themselves, that this complicates questions like this.

The way conflicting emotions mesh and coexist (and even reinforce each other) ends up being the theme of Pete Docter's next film, Inside Out, perhaps not coincidentally.

All that said...yeah, Up will also seem sadder because people will be comparing it to other animated family films, and because some of the saddest stuff is front-loaded compared to the standard "emotional payoff in the third act" thing most people expect.

That’s a very good point. So far from all of the above I’m thinking I’ll avoid it. Lots of drama queens in the firm with 0 exposure to art so could backfire.

For sure, lots of safer choices, even though for my money Up is far and away the best thing Pixar's ever done.

I guess I should probably link to my essay on the film (complete with lots of multimedia and screenshots and stuff):

Breaking Down: Up

I agree. Thanks for the link, will have a read.

Is there a particular cause of the low morale? What kind of discussion are you trying to stimulate?

"The Caddy" has a rather ornate plot for a Lewis and Martin film. "The Bellboy" is short and mostly just site gags. "The Ladies Man" has an amazing set that Lewis does some remarkable shots with.

Peter Sellers' "The Party" will certainly generate conversation.

Thank you for the recs and sorry for my late reply. Re: low morale - well, it is rather low, I think it’s a mixture of restaurants calling around and telling people their NYE parties have been cancelled w. no time to make other plans and general exhaustion. I don’t know.

I’m not trying to stimulate a discussion, just sort of get people out of their heads and to look at something unlike what they usually see. Sadly most of the crew are relative philistines. Could try The Party.