Lookin' Up

I went to see the Pixar movie Up last weekend with my wife and daughter. I was pleasantly surprised with the movie, and though I wouldn't call myself a raving fan, the message of the film has been sticking on me since then.

There were a lot of themes in the story, from steadfastness, longevity, determination and love. But one came through a bit more clearly to me than others.

Did you notice that both old guys in the movie were in a relentless pursuit of a goal? For Mr. Fredrickson, it was to live out the adventure he and his wife had wanted for decades, to have a house at Victoria Falls in South America. After she dies and he is about to be forcibly moved to a retirement home, he hatches a plan to tether his house to thousands of helium balloons that will lift him and his house up and out of his dilemma and on to his goal. You have to admire his grit and determination and ingenuity.

The other old guy in the film, Carl Muntz, is a discredited explorer who was cast off by American society decades earlier as a fraud in his claims he had found some historic bird, previously unknown. In rejection, he leaves for South America claiming "never to return until I find that bird!" Of course, now in their old age, the two men meet there in South America, making for a clash of titans.


Like true titans, both men are zealously intent on their goal. For Muntz, he MUST regain his reputation. For Fredrickson, to live at Victoria Falls is ALL there is.

Neither goal was necessarily bad, and as a coach who daily preaches to his athletes the value of setting goals, I can't disregard their pursuit. But the writers of the movie, while not downplaying dreams or goals, exposed a dangerous side effect to such a singular pursuit.


Both men had developed a contempt for others and for relationships. Muntz was alone, having surrounded himself only with a pack of programmed dogs, trained to do whatever he commanded. Fredrickson wanted to go alone, but has to drag along a young boy scout -- who accidentally stowed away in the house during the flight, a dog and a gigantic bird. It's clear that they mean nothing more to him than a hindrance in his quest to drag his house to the falls. He's crotchety, Muntz is downright mean, and every other character in the film are viewed by both men as little more than nuisances.

Goals can do that, you know. They can become so consuming, so idolatrous, that everything else in life fades away. While I encourage you all to be goal setters, to be determined in your pursuit of goals, don't let that pursuit cause you to disregard the people in your life. Don't become so bent on achievement that you become a pain to the folks around you. Life is too short and no goal is too great to allow us to step on others.


Go see the movie if you haven't. While it's not one of Pixar's greatest (That honor goes to Monsters Inc), it is certainly a story that can get you to think, and while you're on your way Up, it just may keep you from putting others down.