Coco (2017) Review: Pixar's Ode to Remembering

Is Coco worth watching?

Yes. Coco is one of Pixar’s most beautiful and emotionally powerful films, a musical adventure about family and memory that earns its tears honestly. Its Land of the Dead is among the most dazzling worlds the studio has created, and its celebration of Mexican culture feels specific and loving rather than decorative. The only reservation is a plot that follows familiar Pixar mechanics, with a few turns that adults may see coming.

What is Coco about?

Coco follows Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez), a 12-year-old boy in a small Mexican town who dreams of becoming a musician like his hero, the legendary singer Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt). The problem is his family: generations ago, music tore the family apart, and his shoemaking relatives have banned it from their lives ever since.

On the Day of the Dead, Miguel’s determination to prove himself lands him, impossibly, in the Land of the Dead, a vibrant world where the ancestors live on as long as they are remembered by the living. There he meets his deceased relatives and a charming, down-on-his-luck trickster named Héctor (Gael García Bernal), and he must find a way home before sunrise.

Lee Unkrich directed the film, with Adrian Molina as co-director. It is an American Pixar production set in Mexico, made in English with Spanish woven throughout, and it runs 105 minutes. It won Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song, for “Remember Me”.

A Land of the Dead that glows

The animation is breathtaking. The Land of the Dead is a towering, candlelit city of stacked neighbourhoods, bridges of marigold petals and glowing trams, filled with skeletal residents whose designs are funny, expressive and never frightening. The spirit guides, based on the brightly patterned alebrije figures of Mexican folk art, add a burst of colour and wonder.

The world of the living is just as carefully drawn. Miguel’s town, with its plazas, workshops and family altars, has a warmth and texture that grounds the fantasy. The film treats Día de los Muertos traditions, especially the ofrenda and its photographs, with a seriousness that gives the story its emotional logic.

Music that carries the heart

Music is central to Coco’s appeal. The songs, drawing on Mexican styles from mariachi to ballads, are catchy and heartfelt, and Michael Giacchino’s score weaves traditional sounds into the adventure. Anthony Gonzalez, himself a young singer, gives Miguel a genuine, heartfelt voice that makes his passion believable.

Gael García Bernal is wonderful as Héctor, bringing humour, charm and a hint of melancholy to a character who could have been a simple sidekick. The family relationships, especially between Miguel and his formidable grandmother and great-grandmother, give the film a depth that extends beyond its central quest.

Where the formula shows

For all its richness, Coco’s structure is recognisably Pixar: a race against the clock, a mentor with secrets, a series of chases and escapes. Adults familiar with the studio’s storytelling may anticipate some of its twists, and the middle section leans heavily on action set pieces. These are small quibbles, though, because the final stretch delivers some of the most genuinely moving moments in modern animation.

Who should watch Coco?

It is ideal for families, especially those with children old enough to engage with themes of death and loss, and for any adult who loves animation with emotional depth. At 105 minutes it moves briskly. Some skeletal imagery and a few tense scenes may briefly frighten very young viewers, and the themes of mortality may prompt questions.

For more animation with heart:

• Toy Story 3, Unkrich’s previous Pixar film, which pairs adventure with an equally powerful meditation on growing up and letting go.
• The Lion King, a classic family story about legacy, ancestors and a child finding his place.
• Chicken for Linda!, a very different animated film that also finds warmth and comedy in a child’s grief.

The verdict

Coco is a vibrant, funny and profoundly moving film that celebrates family, music and memory with rare sincerity. Its familiar story mechanics are a small price to pay; its heart, visuals and cultural richness make it one of Pixar’s very best.

Rating: 4.5/5