The Mitchells vs. The Machines, a hilarious new family film from Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix, stars a visibly queer protagonist—and while her queer identity isn’t a focal point, it’s not just a fleeting moment at the end, either, like too many shows before.
Katie Mitchell is excited about going to film school. She’s always felt like she doesn’t fit in, “for lots of reasons,” and she’s fed up with her well-meaning but quirky parents and dinosaur-loving younger brother. In a burst of fatherly enthusiasm, though, her dad cancels her flight to college and instead packs the whole family (including their squishy pug, Monchi) into the car for one last road trip. Little do they know, however, that they’re driving into a robot apocalypse that’s hijacking all the technology on the planet, from cell phones to Roombas and Furbys. Because this is a movie, it’s of course up to the Mitchells to figure out how to work together, draw on their individual oddball skills, and save the world.
Katie is also visibly queer. We see this from a rainbow button stuck on her hoodie for the entire film, but it’s also referenced in a few other small ways. We see a brief image of a film she made about asking another girl to go to the prom with her; at the end of the film, her mother calls her at college to inquire, “Are you and Jade official and will you be bringing her home with you for Thanksgiving?” Katie replies, “Easy, mom. It’s only been a few weeks!” Katie is obviously totally out to her mom, and her mom is fine with that; in many ways, Katie’s queerness the least weird thing about a member of this family.
The Mitchells vs. The Machines takes a huge step forward from previous queer representation in children’s film (and much television) in which a character’s queerness was saved for a fleeting “reveal” at the end. Even though Katie’s queerness isn’t emphasized, it also feels authentic. She has an androgynous, artsy vibe that, while obviously not representative of all queer women, certainly seems like some I know (perhaps myself). And her assertion that “it took a while to figure myself out,” although not specified as referring to her queer identity, feels like something many young queer people (myself included) have felt.
She’s totally herself, wildly creative, a great big sister, hilarious, queer, excited to dive into her passions. I wish I had this movie when I was a kid.
Not only that, but Katie is also voiced by Abbi Jacobson (Broad City), a queer actor. Jacobson explained in a press statement:
I just love Katie, and voicing her and getting to know her and breathe life into her was so exciting. Katie’s yearning to find her voice in the world and her people is something I really relate to, even now, but I remember when I went to college I felt so much of that — that longing to escape and see what life is all about. But what the film really gets so well, is that if you’re lucky enough to have a supportive family like Katie’s, they are your people too. I love that messaging. It’s really about family, both blood and found, and how life is about both. I have two young nieces and I kept thinking about them watching this. Katie is the kind of character I would want them to look to and be inspired by and want to be like—she’s totally herself, wildly creative, a great big sister, hilarious, queer, excited to dive into her passions. I wish I had this movie when I was a kid.
The film’s larger messages about the bonds of family, letting one’s kids grow up, and celebrating one’s differences, are wrapped in humor from start to finish. The cartoon violence and some scary Furbys probably mean it’s not best for very young children; the trailer below offers a good sense of what to expect in that regard. Even if it wasn’t queer-inclusive, it would be a fun film, blending 3D animation with 2D parts meant to represent Katie’s films; adding a queer protagonist makes it that much better. Bravo to Sony Animation and co-directors and writers Michael Rianda and Jeff Rowe.
This film also hit me in the feels because my spouse and I will be driving our own son to college for the first time this fall. If we run into a robot apocalypse, I’ll let you know.
Watch a trailer below.