Rock Candy Reviews

Mini Review

Lately, all anyone in the animation or movie critiquing community can talk about is how awful Pixar has become. People hear the company’s name, and roll their eyes. People see the ‘bean mouths’, and proceed to type their outraged comments before even hearing the plot. Most importantly, if you defend any modern Pixar project in the slightest, you are labeled as a filthy casual. One who wouldn’t know a good movie if it was the most regarded film in history.

This brings us to the short series Win or Lose. It was released only on Disney Plus, and immediately got lumped in with the other Pixar failures like Lightyear and Elio. Which, to me, is very frustrating on many levels. After watching it twice, I have come to the conclusion that while not a masterpiece, Win or Lose is more than just a good story. It could be a must watch, especially for families.

Characters

The characters of Win or Lose have more than just relatable moments and personalities. Both the children and adults have arcs that focus on their daily lives without feeling slow or mundane. This is partly because of the straightforward dialogue and smooth transitions between story beats, but it also has to do with the characters sense of urgency and dedication.

Not one character feels like they are perfectly content or without a greater want or need. Each one has a specific, but overwhelmingly stressful goal. These goals have many different themes, but they all come down to the characters’ main flaw and biggest strength.

Since both are intertwined, every episode gives us glimpses of the main characters at their best and worst. Instead of their purposes feeling lost and confused like many other stories struggle with.

For instance, Lightyear’s characters’ struggled to be memorable and likable because their individuality was never explored. They felt more like a collective character, rather than their own people within the story. Win or Lose’s cast of characters are on the same team, but are distinct enough to be more than joke vessels or distractions.

Story

Many criticize modern Pixar films for playing it too safe, or conforming to recent trends. Win or Lose, on the other hand, takes a seemingly safe environment for a story, and turns it into segmented moments of emotional peril. The story centers around the fragility of life’s routines and mindsets, and how a winning strategy can fall apart in an instant. The loss that follows can either break you, or make you stronger and wiser.

Each episode focuses on an aspect of life, like anxiety, overworking, loneliness, or identity struggles. Things that are bound to cause mistakes or extra stress. All coming together in the final episode to show the consequences of letting these things pile up until they are unmanageable.

The episodes’ stories feel naturally connected, and climactic. The stakes for the overarching story are clear, but so are the stakes for the separated episodes. Even though the story is very “slice of life”, every action taken feels grand and important.

This is because the story actually makes a point to flesh out and foreshadow the conflicts. No part feels out of left field because the narrative jumps to perspectives instead of between tones or themes.

The reason why many stories today feel disjointed and odd, is usually because they aren’t balanced. Whether it’s comedy, action, or drama, leaning too far into one part diminishes the effects of the others.

Win or Lose balances its goals well enough to tell different stories with the same amount of genuine care and efficiency. Each part of the story needs the others in order to convey its themes and tone.

Outro

I believe the reason why people have been so quick to write off this show, is just because of the nostalgia for the older Pixar movies, and the art style. This was not another instance of a quick, effortless cash grab project. It clearly had thought put into it, and shows its understanding of storytelling. The show is also a great opportunity for families to talk about issues and hardships in daily life. Instead of just using popular characters to send overly simplified lessons.