Often times, before viewers watch several Pixar films, they are advised to bring a box of tissues with them to the movie screening – the studio’s films have become strongly associated with tears. Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., WALL-E, Up, and Inside Out are often cited as examples. Toy Story 3, directed by Lee Unkrich, is packed with moments where loss and death are themes that lead to people shedding tears. Unkrich, along with co-director Adrian Molina, matches that high bar he set with his latest directorial effort, Coco, a film that tackles the idea of death head-on and manages to make it look easy. Many films stumble with portraying death, but Coco handles it incredibly well – in a moving, hopeful, and inspiring way. I practically sobbed during Coco, for a number of reasons, not only for how beautifully the film juggles the concepts of family and death, but also for how they resonated with me and how I view my family. I have been waiting to write openly about Coco – now that it has been out for a few weeks and millions around the world are seeing this gem of a film, that time to share is here. Please, please do not read this if you have not seen the film, as there are SPOILERS in this article, so it is directed at those who have already watched it – those of you still here, read on.
Again, here is your last chance to turn away, as there are spoilers ahead.
I wanted to keep this article free from distractions, so I have avoided placing any images as I usually do. However, I have embedded a video at the end, which you will understand after reading this through.
Miguel gets to experience a literal journey to discover the importance of family in a way that we do not. He visits the Land of the Dead (Pixar’s vision of this gorgeous world is perhaps the most awe-inspiring world we have seen from the animation studio), spends time with family members that he never knew, and begins to develop an understanding of how his family is at his core. Although we cannot have the opportunity to visit the Land of the Dead that Miguel sees in the film, we are still able to go on a symbolic trek to connect with our roots, even those that we never had the chance to spend time with. After watching Coco, not only do I want to immediately run to my family and spend more time with them getting to know them better – I also want to hear about my ancestors who I did not meet because they passed before my birth. I had the chance to meet only one of my grandparents – Coco, the film, reminded me of that and while it filled me with sorrow, the film also encouraged me to talk to living family members who knew those we have lost so that I can learn about them and pass those stories on to my daughter.
The song at the end of the film, “Proud Corazón,” touches upon these themes and tackles the concepts of death and memories in a beautiful manner. Below are the lyrics:
Say that I’m crazy or call me a fool
But last night it seemed that I dreamed about you
When I opened my mouth what came out was a song
And you knew every word and we all sang along
To a melody played on the strings of our souls
And a rhythm that rattled us down to the bone
Our love for each other will live on forever
In every beat of my proud corazón
Our love for each other will live on forever
In every beat of my proud corazón
Ay mi familia, oiga mi gente
Canten a coro, let it be known
Our love for each other will live on forever
In every beat of my proud corazón
Ay mi familia, oiga mi gente
Canten a coro, let it be known
Our love for each other will live on forever
In every beat of my proud corazón
I have a three-year-old daughter and I know that I will not be around forever – I can, however, live on in her memories. The thought of no longer being remembered by her, of being forgotten, is heartbreaking. Seeing Hector slowly being forgotten by Mama Coco broke my heart – I do not want to be forgotten by my daughter. I hope she understands the love that I have for her so that as she gets older, she is inspired to share stories about me with her children. I hope she is able to recall memories where I sang her a lullaby. I hope she remembers me being there for her when she needed me. I hope she remembers me. The idea that “our love for each other will live on forever” is bittersweet yet a hopeful message in spite of great loss. Death is a loss, no doubt, but what Día de Muertos (as well as similar traditions in other cultures) captures is that you can continue to be celebrated and “live on forever” in stories that are passed down through generations.
This brings me to the last concept that I want to touch upon. Although I cried through the last 10-15 minutes of the film (that story featured punch after punch after punch in the closing moments), the bit that stuck with me above all others is when Miguel truly understands his “proud corazón.” For those who do not know, corazón literally translates to heart – in Miguel’s story, it is immensely satisfying (leading to many happy tears) to hear him sing about what makes up his proud corazón. He gets it. All throughout the film, Miguel is resistant to understanding the importance of family because they do not support his love for music. Although he is lucky enough to have a family that develops an understanding of his love for music (and, as a result keep both his family and passion for music close to his heart), the storytellers succeed in convincing us, through Miguel’s journey, that he would make maintaining his connection with his family a priority. This is a message that we try to share with our kids, but it is not a message easily shared. It is also not an idea that you can easily observe the results of – you hope that your children understand who their family is, that they cherish it, and that they are proud to be a part of it.
In the song, “Proud Corazón,” we hear and we see that Miguel has fulfilled the hope of Imelda, of Hector, of Mama Coco, of Abuelita, and of his parents. We see the family that Miguel lost visiting him on Día de Muertos the following year, and you can sense the sheer joy from the living and the dead. Miguel will love and remember them – they are what make up his proud corazón. Now, every time I hear that song, it takes me back to those closing moments of the film, and also reminds me of the hopes that I have for my daughter.
This series of articles continues my focus on the music in Coco. You will find my first post about Coco music here, where you can listen to an hour-long talk from the creatives who developed the memorable music in the film.
