Coco (2017) review - Movie Thoughts (Chapter 23) 👪

Hello everyone,

Today's film is an animated feature that kind of went under the radar when it came out. I completely missed it, but heard amazing things from other people who had seen it and figured I should probably check it out. I think Coco is one of Disney's greatest triumphs, and I would 110% recommend it if you haven't already experienced its brilliance....

(**disclaimer: the following thoughts are 100% my opinion, you do not have to agree with them - film is inherently subjective and everyone's perspective is valid! Also, there are probably spoilers in the following, read at your own risk. Now onto some thoughts....**)

Source: IMDB

An evocative and captivating family journey over time and spirit worlds, this film was another of Disney’s musical masterpieces. Coco followed the story of young Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) who dreamed of becoming a famous musician like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt); despite his family’s generations old ban on music. In order to discover the roots of why music’s forbidden, Miguel falls into the mystical Land of the Dead to uncover long-forgotten secrets of his family history. Vulnerable and sincere in equal measure, a family film celebrating themes of love and loyalty, hero worship, memory and the importance of healing deep wounds with the power of time.

This film was visually incredible, with a glowing magic to be expected from a spiritual setting. Using neon colour and lights in the land of the dead was striking onscreen and made for plenty of eye-catching movement and transitions between exploring spellbinding new areas of this afterlife. The real-world village in Mexico was just as colourful too, and the glowing candles of the family photo shrines (aka ofrendas or altars) and the graveyard during the Dia de Muertos festival (aka the Day of the Dead) were a gorgeous spectacle of illumination. In amongst the beauty, there was also something quite solemn about their meaning in terms of remembrance and honouring family ancestors.

Whilst visually lush, the concept of the world itself was just as gorgeous. In the land of the dead, everyone is a well-dressed skeleton with great bone structure and use a gorgeous rose petal bridge to travel between the real and the spiritual worlds. The spirit guides were spellbinding animal hybrids and injected some much needed creature buddy energy. With little quips like the airport customs-esque areas that were the entry and exit of the spirit world, it had an underlying wit and charm that truly transported audiences somewhere beautiful.

The seamless way culture and language were built into the music also helped to truly be immersed in the Mexican way of life. The award-winning Lopez duo have created such a cohesively original and predominantly Spanish soundtrack whose wholesome and moving songs were integrated into the narrative seamlessly. In particular, ‘Remember Me’ was incredibly deserving of its Academy Award win for Best Original Song in 2018. A versatile gem, the slower acoustic version sung by Hector (Gael Garcia Bemal) in the flashback sequence to little Coco, and then again by Miguel to Mama Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguia) are particularly special moments and so moving through raw simplicity.

The holistic brilliance of this film was also rooted in the fabulous direction of Lee Unkrich and co-director Adrian Molina, and the fantastic screenplay by Molina and Matthew Aldrich. Everyone took the time to truly honour and respect the cultural spirituality of Mexico and their Dia de Muertos festivities. Everything was measured yet so thematically rich that there was a lesson to be learned throughout the plot. The vulnerable relatabilities of losing loved ones, battling memory loss and dementia and the generational scars of internal family politics in a heartbreakingly three-dimensional way; all the dialogue was written in such an honest and genuine way that deeply resonates with any viewer. The creative team took the time to visit Mexico and experience the culture firsthand before working on the film, and that love and regard was evident in how culturally respectful all the plot points were.

Strong character arcs round out this film’s broad appeal; with twists and turns that were emotionally charged and surprising. Our headstrong and passionate wannabe musician protagonist Miguel had the exact level of maturity and naivety audiences would expect from a boy his age. He’s still very much a dreamer and carrying around his indecision about whether to defy his family or blend into the family business. There was a great setup of his character so audiences felt his struggles because we cared about him.

Cult music figure Ernesto de la Cruz was a curious case and an interesting commentary on celebrity worship. Miguel relied on this fantastical flawless version of his idol, and when this fell apart in a surprisingly dark fashion it turned out to be a pivotal reality check in Miguel’s motivation. The twist that followed in the deep lake abyss added complexity to the narrative and drew in the whole family to the healing process that Miguel initiated with his quest; pushing the plot in a heartwarming new direction.

Beautiful and transcendent, Coco’s exploration of family values and the healing power of music was both a heartwarming and heartbreaking cinematic experience. Complex characters, poetic music and a glorious visual palette combined seamlessly to create a truly memorable film where audiences want to hug their families a little tighter after viewing.

9/10, 4.5 STARS

Thanks for reading,

Love and patterned guitars, Emily 👪