Parents' Guide to

Coco

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Stunningly animated, poignant tribute to family and culture.

Movie PG 2017 109 minutes
Coco Movie Poster: Miguel and Hector stand back to back on a path made out of marigold petals

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

a rocky start</a> with Latino communities, Disney/Pixar course-corrected and ended up receiving <a href=https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/"https://remezcla.com/lists/film/latino-film-critics-review-pixar-coco/">generally positive reviews by Mexican and Latino critics</a>. <em>Coco</em> has a nearly all-Latino voice cast, with most actors of Mexican heritage. It showcases a Mexican holiday and, through Disney and Pixar's massive scale, brings Day of the Dead traditions to a global audience. Though the main characters are all boys/men -- Miguel, the celebrity he idolizes, and his dad -- women have important supporting roles and are portrayed as strong matriarchs. The film has age diversity and encourages a deep respect for family elders. A character with dementia has a backstory and is loved.</p> ">
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  • Coco Movie: Miguel and Dante
  • Coco Movie: Miguel and his ancestors
  • Coco Movie: Miguel plays the guitar

Community Reviews

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age 7+

Based on 150 parent reviews

tiagoalsimao
tiagoalsimao Adult
January 8, 2022
age 8+

It was too soon for my 6 years old son.

The movie is great, but not for my kid yet. After some time into the movie, my son started looking back and covering his ears. The movie is about skeletons, and I think that's what has frightened him. (Thought they aren't that frightening.) He is already sensitive to seeing movies. So for him, maybe we'll wait two more years.
Janna R.
Janna R. Adult
December 20, 2022
age 18+

Not for Kids - bad message

This is completely unacceptable for a children's Disney movie! I cannot believe it, it makes me so uncomfortable. Have you ever heard of "Dante's Inferno" ?? The fact that the dog's name in this movie is Dante. And the boy is coming back and forth from Hell. You can't just do that, once you're dead, you're dead. What kind of message is this sending to your children?? Dante, and his journey through Hell, Purgatory, and then Heaven. It's the biggest blasphemy ever, then calling it "the Divine Comedy". Why put all this into a kids Disney movie? I'm tired of Disney planting seeds into children's heads. We're never going to be watching this movie ever again.
See all 150 parent reviews

What's the Story?

COCO follows Miguel (voiced by Anthony Gonzalez), a young Mexican boy born into a family of zapateros (shoemakers). For generations, the family has imposed a ban on playing or listening to music because, decades earlier, Miguel's great-great-grandfather left his great-great-grandmother Imelda (Alanna Ubach) and their young daughter, Coco (Ana Ofelia Murguía), to become a musician. But Miguel secretly plays the guitar and yearns to become a famous musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), the long-dead singer/actor from Miguel's hometown. On the Day of the Dead, Miguel fights with his family, steals de la Cruz's guitar from a crypt, and somehow gets transported to the Land of the Dead. There, Miguel meets up with his deceased relatives and learns that he can only return to the world of the living with a dead ancestor's blessing. Because Mamá Imelda inserts a no-music clause into her blessing, Miguel flees her and the rest of his skeletal relatives in search of de la Cruz, whom he believes to be his great-great-grandfather. Instead, Miguel teams up with Hector (Gael García Bernal), a scheming skeleton who claims to know de la Cruz, on his journey to find the dead idol and earn his blessing, musician to musician.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (150 ):
Kids say (171 ):

Colorful, beautifully animated, and culturally vibrant, Coco is an affecting, multilayered coming-of-age drama. Miguel just wants to make music, even though it's forbidden to him because his family believes that music cursed them. Gonzalez, a tween who performs Mariachi music, is an ideal pick to voice the movie's main character. It's clear that, like his animated alter ego, he's a talented performer. Featuring "Remember Me," an original song from Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (the husband-and-wife team behind the Frozen soundtrack), and other songs written and produced by a team of Mexican songwriters and consultants, Coco boasts an authentic soundtrack and a memorable score by award-winning composer Michael Giacchino.

The voice cast is nearly all Latino (and most have Mexican heritage), with internationally renowned Mexican American actor Edward James Olmos and comedians Cheech Marin and Gabriel Iglesias voicing supporting characters. Bratt (who's half Peruvian) has just the right timbre of gravitas to play de la Cruz, a famous and vainglorious musician who died at the peak of his career. As for the titular character, she's Miguel's great-grandmother, and her scenes with Miguel will bring a tear to even the most jaded viewer's eyes. The movie will be especially moving for anyone who's had to separate from their family, whether because of death or another reason. But of all the movie's relationships, it's really Miguel's with Hector that's the most nuanced and fascinating. Bernal's Hector is so much more than he seems, and whether he's pretending to be Frida Kahlo (the ghost of Kahlo herself also makes an appearance), playing the guitar, or pleading his case to be remembered, he's the film's second hero. Like the best Pixar movies, Coco is ultimately a story about the power of relationships and why familia is so important.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the popularity of stories about young characters who must go on a dangerous journey to find out about themselves. What does Miguel learn in Coco? How do his experiences in the Land of the Dead help him grow?

  • Talk about the movie's theme of family duty vs. personal ambition. Which characters in Coco are role models, and which character strengths do they demonstrate? How are gratitude, perseverance, and teamwork especially encouraged?

  • Did you think any parts of the movie were scary? How much scary stuff can young kids handle? Who do you think is the ideal audience for this movie? Why?

  • Did you already know about the Day of the Dead? If not, what did you learn about the holiday? How does your family pay tribute to relatives and loved ones after they've passed away? Which other Mexican traditions and values does the movie promote? Which holidays, music, and other cultural traditions do you celebrate with your family?

  • Did you notice that characters speak both English and Spanish in the movie? For bilingual and multilingual families: Why do you think it's important or useful to speak more than one language? How does language connect you with your heritage -- and your family?

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