“The Breadwinner” tells the dark tale of a young girl living under Taliban oppression as she fights to provide for her family. The film isn’t particularly graphic but its PG-13 rating should help to keep parents from thinking that it is a family film. While the story is one of bravery and family loyalty, it is all a means to show the oppression faced in Afghanistan, particularly by women. The heavy subject matter is chilling. There is a dynamic contrast created through different portrayals of the male characters throughout the film. When the men interact with women, they treat them as if they are worthless. Later on, these same men are caring and pleasant when interacting with other men. There is also the young Taliban soldier who is aggressive and frightening when dealing with weaker people, but later seems like a helpless child amongst his elders. You will truly feel sorry for women in Afghanistan by the end. The main story is slightly predictable at times and there are a few issues with the segmented story that is told by Parvana throughout the film. The metaphorical story is meant to reveal the fate of Parvana’s brother and emphasize the use of stories to distract children from the horrors of the Taliban, but it misses its mark. It feels forced and unimportant in the grand scheme of the impending war faced by the characters. It’s a plot device that really should have worked and needed to have a closer tie-in to the rest of the story. Some have suggested that this film could challenge “Coco” for the Best Animated Feature Oscar due to its cultural relevance, but there is just no way. It lacks the unique animation style, storytelling, voice acting, music, and imagination that set “Coco” apart from every other animated film this year. I think that “The Breadwinner” has a great story that reveals a lot about the trials faced by women in Afghanistan but I don’t know that its animation is good enough to warrant an Oscar nomination.
[Pictured: The animation style is interesting but can't compare to the quality of Disney and Pixar]
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