Movie Wednesday: Coco
by Amy Frantz, Brave Writer alum
Miguel comes from a family of shoemakers and in the Rivera household there is absolutely no music allowed. Miguel’s great-great-grandmother’s husband abandoned the family many years before to pursue music and ever since then the family has forbade music on principle. But Miguel dreams of one day becoming a renowned musician. His idol is the famous Ernesto de la Cruz, who was a popular singer before his untimely death. And now it seems like it’s Miguel’s lucky break. During the Day of the Dead holiday there will be a music contest and Miguel hopes to enter. But magic is in the air, and when Miguel’s plan goes wrong, he finds himself in the Land of the Dead! Now Miguel must find his musician great-great-grandfather to receive his blessing and transport Miguel back to the living before sunrise or he will remain among his deceased ancestors forever!
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Coco is a 2017 Disney Pixar 3D animated film. As is the case with some films, Coco underwent extensive rewrites and re-imaginings before finally forming into the finished product we have today. That finished product is a film filled with color and whimsy as it tackles issues of family values, forgiveness, and identity, all through compelling characters, catchy tunes, and dazzling visuals.
Coco features an all Latinx cast and is considered a stride forward by many for representation, especially in a time where there is increasing social awareness around issues of whitewashing (which is the practice in film and television of casting white actors in non-white roles).
Discussion Questions
- Miguel feels misunderstood and unsupported by his family in his dreams to become a musician for much of the film, which causes him to make rash decisions. How do you think his behavior might have been different if his family had been more supportive from the start?
- Family history and family secrets are important themes in Coco. How well do you know your family history? Have you ever learned something about your family that surprised you? Explain.
- Coco contains several plot twists. A plot twist is a device that produces an unexpected outcome or change in the direction of a story’s plot. Were you able to predict these twists or did they take you by surprise?
- Disney landed in hot water for attempting to trademark “Día de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead), since the phrase was originally going to be used in the film’s title, drawing loud criticism from the Latinx community for cultural appropriation. Do you think it’s inappropriate for corporations to trademark culturally significant phrases and traditions? Explain your answer.
Additional Resources
Remember Me – Official Lyric Video
What Mexicans think of Coco – YouTube video
Tags: Diversity
