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Coco is a lively and emotionally fulfilling film that stands proudly among the many accomplishments of Pixar Animation. Anthony Gonzalez plays the role of 12-year-old Miguel, a boy with a deep passion for music, despite his family’s strict prohibition against enjoying or creating it — a restriction stemming from the fact that Miguel’s great-grandfather abandoned the family to pursue a career in music long ago. During Mexico’s Day of the Dead celebration, Miguel tries to steal a guitar from the mausoleum of who he believes to be his great-great-grandfather — the renowned musician Ernesto de la Cruz (voiced by Benjamin Bratt). However, by taking from the dead, Miguel finds himself cursed. He becomes invisible to everyone except the holiday’s deceased visitors. His deceased relatives guide him to the Land of the Dead, a vast and stunning city where the dead reside and follow their passions — but only as long as their living relatives continue to remember them.
Miguel’s dead family members learn they can return Miguel to the land of the living by holding a rose petal and giving him their blessing. But the family makes their blessings conditional — he can only return if he promises to give up music. He can’t bring himself to make such a promise. Miguel runs away from his family to find the one estranged family member who might understand him and give him his blessing — Ernesto de la Cruz. Along the way, Miguel is accompanied by a trickster musician, Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal), who is in danger of suffering ‘the final death’ when no one alive remembers you. He agrees to help Miguel find Ernesto if Miguel promises to put his picture on his mantle and keep his memory alive. When Miguel and Hector finally find Ernesto de la Cruz, secrets are uncovered and mysteries are revealed in surprising and emotionally satisfying ways.
I thought I had Coco figured out, and the movie bested me repeatedly. A family movie can rarely surprise me this way, defying my expectations and giving more than I ever imagined it could offer. Miguel is a likable kid, but Hector stole my heart very early on. The character’s design, animation, and Gael Garcia Bernal’s vocal performance create magical synergy. I especially love how he dresses like renowned painter Frida Kahlo to gain access to hoity-toity places. The Land of the Dead allows for many spectacular visuals and creates a vibe I already want to return to. The film is also a celebration of song, featuring lively party songs and simple heartfelt numbers alike. Coco has everything: it fills my eyes, my ears, and my heart. I loved every minute of it.
Directed by Lee Unkrich (Finding Nemo, Toy Story 3) and Adrian Molina. With the voices of Alanna Ubach, Alfonso Arau, and Edward James Olmos. This is one of the last Disney/Pixar movies overseen by ousted chief creative officer John Lasseter, which may help explain why it’s so much better than anything the studio has created since.
Academy Awards: Best Animated Feature, Best Song (“Remember Me”)