DIRECTOR: LEE
UNKRICH, ADRIAN MOLINA; LEAD
CAST: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin
Bratt; SCREENWRITER: LEE UNKRICH,
ADRIAN MOLINA, JASON KATZ, MATTHEW ALDRICH; PRODUCER: DARLA K. ANDERSON; EDITOR: STEVE BLOOM, LEE UNKRICH; MUSICAL DIRECTOR: MICHAEL GIACCHINO; GENRE: ANIMATED COMEDY DRAMA; CINEMATOGRAPHER: MATT ASPBURY, DANIELLE
FEINBURG; DISTRIBUTOR: DISNEY PIXAR; LOCATION: MEXICO; RUNNING TIME:
109 mins.
Technical
Assessment: 4
Moral Assessment: 4
CINEMA Rating: PG13
MTRCB Rating: G
Aided by ofrenda or photograph
display, Miguel (voice by Anthony Gonzales), a young member of the Rivera
Family narrates the family history that leads to the introduction of his living
great grandmother Coco (voice by Ana Ofelia Murguia). The family has a successful shoe business but
prior to venturing into shoe making, the family was into music until the father
of Coco did not return from a music stint. Since then the family has become music haters
and banned any form of music in the house. But love for music is innate to Miguel
so he engages secretly in singing and idolizing a music icon, Ernesto dela Cruz
(voice Benjamin Bratt) who died in a concert performance. Miguel believes that Ernesto was the fore
father who abandoned the family. On discovery
of Miguel's inclination to music, the whole family is expectedly against it and
everyone wants to stop him. But equally determined, Miguel goes all the way to
steal the antique guitar of Ernesto in his grave only to realize that the
guitar is under a curse that brought him to the land of the dead and needs a
blessing of his dead family member in the ofrenda
to bring him back to the land of the living. In this life dimension, Miguel
discovers the truth about the family and his music idol Ernesto. He finds out
that all the while Ernesto is not worth of his adulation because he murdered
and stole the music composition of Hector (voice by Gael Garcia Bernal), the
real father of Coco and forgotten for believing that he abandoned the family
for music.
Coco has an interesting
plot carried out with a character-focused story and concluded with a surprising
twist. The voices behind the animated characters are all convincingly portrayed
especially Gonzales who did a very powerful voice for Miguel. The lines are
delivered well and clear in Mexican accent. Featured songs and musical score
are well-blended with scenes and composition that reflect the country's culture
and tradition. There is creativity in the cinematography of presenting a
landscape of the world of the dead. It is complemented with good editing
particularly in many events of transitions from life’s two dimensions and
visual effects. Overall Coco is a treat of animated visuals,
songs and dialogues that viewers will love.
Music brings color to one's life and helps make meaningful relationships
among lovers, families and friends. Talent for music is God's gift that is for
nurturing and sharing. Sometimes due to life's circumstances, people would
choose to forget and even hate music to be able to move on. However, if music
is innate to a person, it also comes out naturally and will find its expression
against all odds. In Coco, the main character Miguel is torn between his
love for family and his love for music. But he believes in the goodness of
music and dreams of making big on it like his idol. When he makes the decision to defy the family
and reach out for his dream, his life is put into danger, at the same time puts
him in a situation that unlocks the truth behind the family's hatred for music.
In the process, Miguel's initial desire for music and idolatry of a wrong
person transforms into a mission to free the family from the curse of banning music
in their lives and brings happiness to a living elderly of the family, abuelita Coco. The long lost innocent
soul that is threatened to be totally forgotten is saved to be continiously
remembered and prayed for by the family. Overall, the film is laden with positive
messages; however, young viewers need the guidance of an adult in watching to
explain certain aspects, like 1) a family's strong and unreasonable squelching
of a young member’s dream; 2) Miguel's apparent disrespect for the dead by gate
crashing in the mausoleum and stealing memento; 3) murder and keeping the crime
a secret to death for the selfish desire for fame.
