Luca: other than the existence of seafaring demi-human beings, the story told by Enrico Casarosa in this animated adventure is quite simple. It’s a story of dreams, friendship, and how friends can expand one’s horizons; in short, a nice coming of age story. But simplicity is not automatically a fault, and here the story is sweet and well-told, the trio of main characters is emotionally engaging, their conflicts clear and relatable. Character design is simple but attractive, with both versions of the “sea monsters” clearly two sides of the same coin, and in any case all characters very distinctive. The environments are very beautiful and colorful, with the nostalgic coastal Italian village being the centerpiece. The trio of central characters is lovely voiced (by Emma Berman, Jacob Tremblay, and Jack Dylan Grazer); Saverio Raimondo creates well a cartoony and pathetic villain. Music, both Dan Romer’s original score and the collection of old Italian songs, helps to give the film its solar energy.