At the time of its discovery in 1930 by the young American astronomer Clyde William Tombaugh, Pluto completed the great story of the solar system. For decades, it was considered the ninth planet before being reclassified in 2006 as a dwarf planet. This unique trajectory, marked by recognition and then reclassification, directly inspires “Goodbye Pluto,” a musical youth story written and directed by Sarianne Cormier, which turns this astronomical fate into a fable about inclusion, ambition, and marginality.
For her first feature film, the filmmaker envisions a world where planets, satellites, and other celestial bodies form an official ballet troupe of the solar system. Pluto, a newcomer full of zeal but lacking confidence, dreams of finding her place there. However, in this highly codified universe, where some figures seem naturally accepted while others remain on the fringes of the group, she arrives in a fragile position. Above all, she does not dance the ballet like the other aspirants. While Iris and the mysterious Planet X shine in a more classic register, Pluto defends tap dancing instead. This difference becomes the heart of the story.
Presented as a filmed performance, somewhere between cabaret, school fable, and cosmic musical comedy, “Goodbye Pluto” embraces a joyful form of oddity from the start. Earth, the Moon, Neptune, and a whole host of characters relegated to the margins of the celestial order are encountered, while small historical capsules remind us of Pluto’s true story through Professor Tombaugh, played by Matthew Rankin. The link between childlike fantasy and the history of astronomy works well and gives the film a certain charm.
What also works well is its quirky aspect. The tone, intentionally offbeat, is maintained from beginning to end. The direction does not seek realism or psychological plausibility at all costs; instead, it builds a coded, stylized universe, traversed by songs, planet jokes, naive plans, and a form of artificiality often consistent with the proposal.
An artisanal galaxy
The artistic direction is also well-executed. Sets, costumes, rehearsal spaces, and peripheral places reserved for less legitimate figures all compose a carefully crafted, inventive, and very pleasant world to watch. The music also contributes greatly to this success. There is generosity in the staging, a true desire to create a childlike paratopic universe without completely smoothing it out.
Where the film reaches its limits, however, is in the writing of some dialogues, which lack depth. Some exchanges appear forced or overly simplistic. The performance, moreover, remains uneven, but it must be said that a good portion of the cast is made up of young performers or beginners. This can sometimes be heard in an exaggerated or forced performance, without derailing the overall production, especially since the direction of the actors keeps the tone consistent.
Imperfect but original, “Goodbye Pluto” is a youth film that dares a certain singularity, but whose intentions on screen do not always fully achieve their potential.
