For many, balancing your life long dreams with the desires of your family are mutually exclusive. If you dream of being an artist, your family may not support your decisions. Can you support a family? Yourself? What if you don’t “make it?” Sometimes, you can lose the support of your family. This can be true for many minorities.
I am a Filipino American who has always dreamed of becoming a writer, specifically screenwriting. Fortunately for me, my parents were very supportive (If a little anxious) about my decision. But I was often questioned by other members of the family. While this would often annoy me, I understood where this came from. My family grew up poor and wanted to make sure I didn’t have the struggles they did.
Coco is an emotionally and culturally fulfilling film that has a beautiful take on artistic dreams and the bonds of family. Beautifully animated with an emotional story about heartbreaking longing (Be it dreams or the family we have lost), the film shows us that those dreams don’t have to come at the cost of family. This is not only one of Pixar’s best films, this is one of the best films of 2017.
“I Have to Sing. It’s Not Just in Me…It is Me!”
Young Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming a musician like his idol, the legendary Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). Unfortunately, his family has banned all music due to a generations old heartbreak. Miguel’s desperate desires somehow lead him to the Land of the Dead, where he meets the charming Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal), as well as members of his departed family. His journey will bring him to the heart of his family’s history and show him that his dreams may not be as out of reach as he thought.
Pixar once again creates a vibrant and beautiful world for its story. When most people hear “The Land of the Dead,” they often think of darkness and shadow. But Coco embraces the Mexican tradition of The Day of the Dead as a celebration, injecting the world with bright colors. The Land of the Dead is, well…alive and it’s a refreshing and surprising take on the afterlife.
The film’s story also continues the Pixar tradition of combining humor with heartfelt moments. From the surprising strength of Abuelita Elena (Renee Victor) and her slipper to Hector’s skeletal acrobatics, the physical humor is right up there with any other Pixar outing.
On the other hand, there are several heartbreaking moments. There is one early in the film, where Miguel’s dreams are literally smashed that hit especially hard for me. And there is one particularly powerful moment late in the film that will make you cry uncontrollably. Writers Adrian Molina and Matthew Aldrich balance the emotional beats perfectly and they never feel contrived.
Coco’s plot does take a surprisingly dark turn late in the film, at least at first glance. But given the film’s themes of life and death, it fits once you let the turn settle in. If anything, it continues the Disney tradition of adding adult themes to family films. This is just a warning for the parents out there.
All of this…the vibrant world, the emotional story…would be for nothing if not for the excellent cast, especially leads Anthony Gonzalez and Gael Garcia Bernal. Gonzalez is especially strong as the stubborn dreamer Miguel. In addition to bringing real emotion to the boy, he is also a gifted singer. The actor’s natural charisma shines through in his excellent voice work. Bernal is very charming as trickster Hector. The character has a tragic story though, and Bernal brings the right amount of humanity to it.
The rest of the cast is great as well. Benjamin Bratt’s de la Cruz is used expertly, with the actor’s voice work bringing much needed charm to a character regarded as a legend. The aforementioned Renee Victor has a small part as Miguel’s Abuelita, but she makes quite an impression in her brief moments. Finally, Alanna Ubach brings a dignified, but feisty energy to the matriarch of Miguel’s family, Elena. The character is a joy to watch due to Ubach’s work.
Finally, and maybe most importantly, Coco is a culturally fulfilling work of art. Most if not all of the cast is of Hispanic or Latino descent. The chief creative force behind the film’s story is Adrian Molina, a man of Mexican descent. This is especially empowering to see a story about people of color created by people of color. It isn’t perfect…some have taken issue with the Land of the Dead’s portrayal of the gates to the land of the living as an immigration border. This could either be entirely tone deaf…or a subtle jab at immigration in general. I prefer to believe it’s the latter.
This is not a film just for Hispanics or Latinos either. Coco is a brilliant film about family, dreams and love. Anyone can relate to it. The film just happens to feature people of color.
“Remember Me, Though I Have to Say Goodbye”
You can’t discuss Coco without singling out the beautiful music that feeds its beating heart. Composer Michael Giacchino once again creates an evocative score, incorporating Latin elements without feeling like he is pandering or relying on stereotypes. But the real highlight of the film’s score is its use of one particular song.
Remember Me, written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, acts as a sort of theme throughout Coco. However, it is used brilliantly. When we first hear the song, it comes off as slightly generic. The first version we hear is slightly uptempo and melodramatic. We hear other characters perform it just as generically.
As the film goes on and we learn about the origins of the song, the versions we hear change. We hear slower, more heartfelt versions of it. The lyrics resonate more as the filmmakers pair them with often heartbreaking imagery. The final time we hear it is so emotionally powerful, it strikes right at your heart. It’s a beautiful use of music that few films can pull off.
Dreams and Family
Some of my favorite films are the ones that resonate emotionally with me. Coco connected with me in a very personal way. Yes, I am of Filipino descent, but there are several similarities between Filipino culture and Latino culture. A friend of mine once joked that our cultures are *like this* (You can’t see me, but I’m crossing my fingers).
I’ve always been a dreamer and my family has always meant the world to me. As stated above, Coco shows us that those two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. There are ways to make them both work. And when they do, your heart can soar.
SCORE: 10 OUT OF 10