Some animated films will inherently appeal more to older kids and parents. I feel Pixar’s newest feature Coco will fall into that category- while there’s a fair amount of comedy, memorable imagery and appealing characters to be found, it lacks rapid-fire jokes and the subject matter is treated with a good amount of gravity. That’s not even getting into the increasing emotional stakes as the story progresses.
It’s wrapped in a story that does follow a previously seen trope- a young hero trying to find their calling, despite their family’s wishes. I imagine Miguel Rivera (Anthony Gonzalez) would find a lot in common with Moana in many respects. But the execution is so poignant and delivered with enough timing and wit to make up for it.
Miguel’s family, especially her loving but strict grandmother Elena (Renee Victor), would prefer for him to be a shoemaker and stay far away from anything pertaining to music. He can’t understand the ban, and it only makes him want to follow in the footsteps of his idol, the late uber-charming singer Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt) even more. (His untimely demise, which I won’t give away, is masterful in its comedic timing and how it catches the audience off-guard.). And when he discovers a mysterious photograph during the Day of the Dead preparations that hints of a possible relation to de la Cruz, he’s even more convinced it’s his destiny.
Coincidentally, a talent show is being held during the holiday and Miguel needs a guitar quick. What better instrument to play than Ernesto’s famous guitar, he decides. When he breaks into his mausoleum to use it, he and his dog sidekick Dante are suddenly transported to the actual Land of the Dead, a vast and visually stunningly afterlife filled with a society of the deceased and colorful spirit animals. There he meets his Rivera ancestors, and his great-great-grandmother Imelda (Alanna Ubach) isn’t too keen on him pursuing music either.
Miguel needs the blessing of a relative to return home, lest he remains in the Land of the Dead and transforms into a skeleton. So if the Rivera’s won’t let him be a musician, he figures maybe the legendary de la Cruz will, and he journeys through this bizarre dimension to meet him and win his approval. He sparks a friendship with a skeleton named Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal) along the way, and his backstory plays into the plot in a fun way that I wasn’t quite expecting.
This is easily one of the most detailed films I’ve seen from Pixar, which is saying a lot given their body of work. Even the Aztec marigold petals on the bridge where the dead meet their relatives look impressive, and the various spirit animals resemble well-made parade floats.
The skeletal characters have a surprising amount of variety in their designs and are incredibly expressive, both in their body language and facials. This allows characters like Hector and Imelda to make you laugh in one scene, and display genuine feelings and nuance in others.
Of course, being a musical the songs certainly had to deliver as well, and luckily the soundtrack meets the standard of the film. Though this is Anthony Gonzalez’s feature film debut, he’s been performing for quite some time. It shows in his “Un Poco Loco” duet with Garcia Bernal and his version of “Remember Me” which is downright heartbreaking.
His overall performance as Miguel elevates the film, a stubborn but still sympathetic lead character who will both make you smile and toy with your emotions. Bratt is appropriately self-absorbed yet charismatic as de la Cruz, and Bernal shows great range as the goofy but endearing Hector.
Much in the vein of Up and Inside Out, Coco is one of those Pixar films that doesn’t compromise its depth and complexity while still providing a fun story that people of any age can enjoy. I wouldn’t call it scary or even a “dark” film despite death being so central to its subject matter. More than anything, it’s a thrilling adventure that gets unapologetically sad at points, a tone that director Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 3) is no stranger to.
Most of the narrative clichés come towards the climax. It felt as if the team said “ok, let’s quickly wrap it up now that the big reveals are done”. But the story twists I felt were well directed on the part of Unkrich. The finale is executed with such humor and genuinely great slapstick that I didn’t mind the clichés as much, and it leads to a scene that probably won’t leave a dry eye in the house. At any point when Miguel cries, it always feels justified.
I can’t be the one to access how accurately Coco represents Hispanic culture. But as a film, it’s another example of Pixar making entertaining films that confront heavy subject matter, while never feeling exploitative. There is, admittedly, a glut of great movies that stress the value of families. But I was intrigued by how Coco, in its outlook on death and the afterlife, put such a focus on memories- not to mention the importance of passing them down to further generations, as a means of keeping our loved ones close.
These are part of an overall great tale that I feel has an awesome sense of wonder, and also impressive character development. Even though it follows a “follow your dream” narrative we’ve seen before, I think there’s more than enough emotion and experimentation to make it memorable. Highly recommended, and then some.