‘A Wrinkle in Time’ is Exactly What It Should Be: A Family Movie

A Wrinkle in Time follows in the long tradition of Disney live-action movies. You remember Disney movies before they bought up the Star Wars and Marvel cinematic universes? Disney used to make straightforward family movies about a single hero (male, white) going on a quest. The story was about the importance of believing in yourself and being brave. Parents and adults were hapless, clueless, or both. Big siblings took care of little siblings, friends cracked jokes, and the single hero achieved The Big Thing in less than 120 minutes. In that context, A Wrinkle in Time is what it looks like: a Disney family movie. It is also a Disney family movie where the single hero is a multiracial girl, her sidekick is a white boy who adores her, one of the hapless/clueless parents is a brilliant Black scientist, and the ancient ones the hero looks up to include Oprah W. and Mindy K. in all their 100%, not white glory. A Wrinkle in Time gives the Disney hero treatment to a whole host of people who 30 years ago wouldn’t even be in a Disney movie. Y’all this is a Disney movie (the 2nd one in 2 months) where there are more speaking roles for people of color than for white people. In this context, it is revolutionary. That’s the thing about Wrinkle — it is simultaneously ordinary and extraordinary. The Story: Spoilers Ahead!

Meg Murray (Storm Reid) was a brilliant pre-teen. Cute. Well-liked. But her father, the eccentric Dr. Mr. Murray (Chris Pine) disappeared a few years ago and Meg is stuck…