Pixar’s ‘Coco’ really pops
PIXAR is already being rewarded for its inclusivity on Coco, the studio’s 19th film. The story takes place in Mexico, and when the movie debuted there late last month, it quickly became the country’s highest-grossing film of all time.
A strong sense of place isn’t the only appeal, though. The animated celebration of Mexican culture and traditions, directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina, is also darkly funny, imaginative and, of course, deeply poignant. No studio knows how to elicit a big cathartic sob quite like Pixar.
Despite a slow start overflowing with exposition about the meaning of Día de los Muertos – the annual celebration to honour the dead – Coco finds its groove with the story of Miguel Riviera (Anthony Gonzalez), a spirited 12-year-old, who makes music everywhere he goes. He’s even fashioned a rudimentary guitar from nails and wood.
The only problem is that even a whistle or a snap of the fingers is strictly forbidden in his home. Ever since his great-great-grandfather abandoned his wife, Imelda, and daughter, Coco, to become a troubadour, all tunes have been prohibited; years later, even as an aged Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguía) appears to be at death’s door, generations of the Rivieras still take the ban seriously.
The premise seems a bit outlandish, but it does what it needs to: lays the groundwork for the central conflict when, on Día de los Muertos, Miguel’s family discovers his secret passion. After a blow-up argument, he runs away and ends up accidentally crossing over to the realm where the dead roam.
This is where Pixar does what it does best – creating fanciful new worlds. The movie takes a delightfully non-linear path from there, but suffice it to say Miguel has to find a way back to the living before the end of the day.
Mostly, though, the studio sticks to a formula that works with its moving story about the importance of family. There’s also, as always, an adorable sidekick – a kooky stray dog named Dante – and stunning visuals. Some of the animation is so detailed it looks photorealistic, particularly the exquisite wrinkled face of the elderly title character.