Explaining to children how relationships work is difficult, and it is even more difficult to explain to them that they can change over time, deteriorate and even end. But sometimes a simple cartoon knows how to find the right words, more than a thousand adult speeches, managing to speak both to the still trauma-free hearts of the little ones and to the already damaged hearts of grown-up children.

And this is how Spellbound – The Spell, the new Netflix film with the voices of Massimo Ranieri and Gigi and Ross available from November 22nd, manages the arduous task of not only explaining to her the complexity of romantic relationships but also teaching her how to survive their end or an unwanted change in them.

Get ready for an epic, colorful and overwhelming adventure, get ready to be moved, to be surprised, to find new awareness and to see a film that has the ability to tackle very delicate themes with a clarity and simplicity that only stories written by great narrators can have .

A cartoon that knows how to represent human emotions better than Inside Out 2

That behind this film there is the same animator of Toy Story and the same co-director of Shrek can be understood from the first minute where we are welcomed into an enchanted world so fascinating that it captures us completely, making us forget that, outside of our TV, there exists a less colorful and decidedly rougher reality.

The beauty of this cartoon is that it is not an end in itself, it does not just want to entertain or demonstrate that it is the result of a brilliant working group but aims to give the public concrete help for real life by giving viewers a “toolbox “well equipped to face her demons once the film is finished.

Spellbound is a survival manual for toxic families, for men and women who break up after years of love, for children who can’t get over mom and dad’s divorce, for those who are overwhelmed by negativity. And with its story so distant but so close to real life it manages not only to entertain but above all to be extremely useful.

Spellbound tells many facets of human emotions and reminds us that darkness must be faced, accepted and overcome without ever losing sight of one’s inner light. This film, in fact, is a hymn to light, to the spark, to that flicker that allows us to find a bit of color even when we see everything black around us.

Unlike recent animated films that are much more publicized and acclaimed such as Inside Out 2, this Netflix cartoon does not get lost in its egocentrism and in the need to necessarily address the hot topics of the moment, but manages to conquer everyone with a less glossy and much more genuine and universal than the Pixar film.

A film that teaches acceptance

As happens with educational literature, cartoons also have the aim of teaching the little ones an important value of life and doing so with stories that hide great depth behind the flights of imagination. And just as the Harry Potter saga managed to teach an entire generation the value of loss between powers, schools of magic and great enemies to defeat, Spellbound manages to teach the value of acceptance with colorful animals, journeys into enchanted worlds and a kingdom to save.

Do yourself a favor, whether you are adults, children or teenagers, whether you have a united family behind you or are children of separated parents, whether you are happy or in a dark moment in your life, watch Spellbound to find yourself, understand the choices of your parents and don’t forget that there is always a light to follow, even in the dark.

Rating: 8