Elemental (2023 film)

Elemental is a 2023 American computer-animated romantic comedy-drama film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It follows fire element Ember Lumen and water element Wade Ripple, who meet and fall in love after Wade is summoned by a plumbing accident at a convenience store owned by Ember's father Bernie. It was available for streaming on Disney+ September 13, 2023, and it was released on DVD and Blu-Ray on September 26, 2023.

Opposites react.

Directed by Peter Sohn. Written by John Hoberg, Kat Likkel, and Brenda Hsueh.

Ember Lumen

• Take breath, make connection.
• Sorry, buddy. Elements don't mix.
• I sucked a city inspector… into our pipes?!
• [from trailer] I've been trying to fill my father's shoes, but I never once asked what I wanted to do.
• Winner, winner, charcoal dinner!
• I think I'm failing. My Àshfá should have retired years ago, but he doesn't think I'm ready. You have no idea how hard they've worked. Or what they've had to endure. The family they left behind. How do you repay a sacrifice that big? It all feels like a burden. How can I say that? I'm a bad daughter.
• Maybe you're right when you said my temper is me trying to tell me something.
• I don't think I actually do want to run the shop, okay? That's what my temper has been trying to tell me. I'm trapped.
• You know what's crazy? Even when I was a kid, I would pray to the blue flame to be good enough to fill my father's shoes someday because this place is his dream. But I never once asked what I wanted to do. I think that's because deep down, I knew it didn't matter. Because the only way to repay a sacrifice so big is by sacrificing your life too.
• That may work in your rich kid "follow your heart" family, but getting to do what you want is a luxury and not for people like me.
• [to herself] Why can't I just be a good daughter?
• [as Wade comes to the rescue] You came back, after everything I said!
• Wade is gone. He saved me.
• I want to explore the world with you, Wade Ripple. I want to have you with me in my life… Forever!
• [from trailer] I'm Ember.

Wade Ripple

• The pipe squished me all out of shape. [shakes himself back to his real shape] That's better.
• Why does anyone get to tell you what you can do in your life?
• I've just never been punched in the face with beauty before.
• Holy dewdrop!
• Ember, when I met you, I thought I was drowning. But that light, that light inside you has made me feel so alive. And all I want now is to be near it. Near you. Together.
• There are a millions reasons why this can't work, a million nos; but there is also one yes: we touched. And when we did, something happened to us, something impossible. We changed each other's chemistry.
• Your, uh, chimney needs cleaning.
• [Ember: Let me guess, you try to cry?] We try not to cry.
• [from trailer] Sorry. I'm Wade.

Dialogue

[After the water pipe breaks in the basement and causes flood, Ember sees Wade emerging out, wailing while holding the picture]

Ember: What the--?

Wade: What a happy family. [shows Ember the picture] Is that you and your dad? I love dads. [gasps] And it's your birthday! [starts sobbing again]

Ember: Who are you? And what are you doing here?

Wade: I don't know. I was searching for a leak on the other side of the river and got sucked in. This is bad, I can't lose another job. I just can't seem to find my flow. [gets up, showing his watery muscles]

Ember: Dang.

Wade: [groans] That pipe squished me all out of shape. [shakes off to normal appearance] That's better.

---

Wade: Well, I was in the canals checking the doors for leaks, when I found some water that shouldn't have been there. There was this whoosh of water. And I got sucked into a filtering system. But then I heard this explosion. That's how I ended up at your place.

Ember: Oh, flame! My temper caused this.

---

Wade: You're so hot.

Ember: Excuse me?

Wade: No! I mean, you're smoking. No! I didn't mean it like that!

Ember: Are you done yet?

Wade: Yes, please!

---

[as Bernie is feeding Wade his fiery wood nugget]

Ember: Dad, those are too hot.

Wade: [weakly] I'm okay. I love hot food.

---

Ember: I think I'm failing. My Ashfa should have retired years ago, but he doesn't think I'm ready. You have no idea how hard they've worked. Or what they've had to endure. Family they left behind. How do you repay a sacrifice that big? It all feels like a burden. How can I say that? I'm a bad daughter. [sobs]

Wade: Hey, no. You're doing your best.

Ember: [sniffles, then sighs] I'm a mess.

Wade: Nah. I think you're even more beautiful.

Ember: Maybe you're right when you said my temper is me trying to tell me something.

---

Cinder: If your father finds out-- fire and water cannot be together! I prove it! Come with me.

---

Wade: Let's… Let's start small. I'm so lucky.

Bernie: I'm so lucky I have you.

Ember: I have to go. [quickly hurries off]

Wade: Wait, what? [runs after her to the stairs of Mineral Lake station] Where are you going?

Ember: Back to my life at the shop, where I belong. I take over tomorrow.

Wade: Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up. You don't want that. You said so yourself.

Ember: It doesn't matter what I want.

Wade: Of course, it does! Listen, listen. You got an opportunity to do something you want with your life.

Ember: "Want"? Yeah, that may work in your rich kid, "follow your heart" family, but getting to do what you want is a luxury and not for people like me.

Wade: Why not? Just tell your father how you feel. This is too important. Maybe he'll agree.

Ember: [chuckles sarcastically] Yeah.

Wade: Funny. And this whole time, I thought you were so strong. But it turns out, you're just afraid.

Ember: [turns to him, blazing purple with anger] Don't you DARE judge me! You don't know what it's like to have parents who gave up everything up for you. I'm Fire, Wade! I can't be anything more than that! It's what I am, and my family is! It's our way of life. I cannot throw all that away just for YOU!

Wade: [hurt] I don't understand.

Ember: And that alone is a reason this could never work. It's over, Wade. [turns away and boards the train]

---

Wade: Let your father know who you really are. Look, I had regrets when my dad died. But because of you, I learned to embrace the light while it burns. [speaks Firish] Tìshôk’. You don't have forever to say what you need to say. I love you, Ember Lumen. [the crowd gasps and murmurs at hearing what he said] And I'm pretty sure you love me too.

Ember: No, Wade, I don't.

Cinder: That's not true! I did their reading! Bernie, it's love. It's true love.

Ember: [denying it] No, Mom, you're wrong. [turns to Wade] Wade, go.

Wade: But Ember--

Ember: I DON'T LOVE YOU! GO! [sobs in anger]

[Wade sadly sets the glass Vivisteria flower in front of her and leaves, heartbroken]

Bernie: [angry that Ember saw Wade behind her father's back] You have been seeing water?! [coughs]

Ember: Àshfá, I--

Bernie: [angrily] You caused leak in shop?! I trusted you! You will not take over the shop. [coughs; to the crowd] I no longer retire!

[Cinder and the crowd all gasp at this]

---

Ember: [sees Wade's eyes through the window door] Wade?!

Wade: Keyhole! [Ember takes the key out of the keyhole and enters] I was hoping to make a more heroic entrance.

Ember: You came back, after everything I said.

Wade: Are you kidding? And miss all this?

Ember: [sees the water heading towards the blue flame and gasps] Hold the door!

---

Ember: I have to open that up!

Wade: No! The water will come in and you'll be snuffed out!

Ember: But you're evaporating! I don't know what to do!

Wade: It's okay.

Ember: [voice breaking] No, it's not okay! [turns to face Wade as he gently smiles and takes her by the hand]

Wade: Ember, I have no regrets. You gave me something people search for their whole lives.

Ember: [sobbing] But I can't exist in a world without you! I'm sorry I didn't say it before. I love you, Wade.

Wade: [smiles as he watches Ember's light reflect off the water in the room] I really do love it when your light does that.

---

Ember: Wade is gone.

Cinder: Oh, my daughter. [walks over to her for comfort]

Ember: He saved me. [stands up on her feet and approaches her father; tearfully] Dad? This is all my fault. The shop, Wade... [breaks down, sobbing softly] I need to tell you the truth. I don't want to run the shop. I know that was your dream, but it's not mine. I'm sorry. [holds up the blue flame in the lantern to give to him] I'm a bad daughter. [sobs]

Bernie: Ember… the shop was never the dream. You were the dream. You were always the dream.

Ember: [feeling touched by what her father said, she hugs him; still sobbing] I loved him, Dad. [continues sobbing as Cinder joins the family hug]

[As the family embraces tightly, Wade is heard crying distantly but is nowhere to be seen. The fire people turn towards the hearth, Ember stands as a drop of water emerges out of the debris blocking the chimney and straight into a pot. Furrowing her brow, Ember looks up at the ceiling]

Ember: Butterfly. [Nothing happens] Butterfly. Windshield wipers. Half a butterfly. [two more droplets appear on the ceiling and fall into the pot; smiles hopefully, realizing the situation, playing "The Crying Game"] An old man on his deathbed remembers the summer he fell in love. [several more droplets appear and fall into the pot, as it appears if it was raining directly into the pot; continuing] She was out of his league, and he was young and [laughs] scared. [even more big water droplets appear and move towards the center of the ceiling] He let her go, think surely summer would come again. It never did!

[Wade sobs even harder as more droplets fall into the pot, filling it with water]

Cinder: You are perfect match. 10 out of 10!

[Wade sobs loudly while the downpour halfway fills the pot, as Bernie wears a confused look]

Bernie: I don't understand. What's going on?

Cinder: Just say something to make Water Guy cry, okay?

Bernie: Um...Uh... You are no longer panned.

Wade: [tearfully correcting him] Banned.

Bernie: (Right.) Banned.

[Wade sobs very loudly]

Ember: I want to explore the world with you, Wade Ripple. I want to have you with me in my life, forever.

[The streams of water slow, and the last drop falls into the fully filled pot, Ember peers inside, and two eyes appear in the water, followed by a smile, gaps in excitement as Wade's body takes shape as he stands in the pot]

Wade: [astonished] Whoa. [picks up shirt and smiles in embarrassment] Your, uh, chimney needs cleaning. [Ember gasps and pants happily as she jumps into Wade's arms, and a sizzling sound is heard; Wade and Ember stare lovingly into each other's eyes, and they kiss romantically]

Taglines

• Opposites react.

Cast

• Leah Lewis — Ember Lumen
  • Clara Lin Ding (little kid)
  • Reagan To (big kid)

• Mamoudou Athie — Wade Ripple

• Ronnie del Carmen — Bernie Lumen

• Shila Ommi — Cinder Lumen

• Mason Wertheimer — Clod

• Wendi McLendon-Covey — Gale Cumulus

• Catherine O'Hara — Brook Ripple

• Joe Pera — Fern Grouchwood

• Matthew Yang King — Alan Ripple, Lutz and Earth Pruner

External Links

• Elemental quotes at the Internet Movie Database