Coco Review: Story, Cast, Rating & Final Verdict
Last updated: April 12, 2026
Movie Overview: Coco
| Movie | Coco |
| Release Year | 2017 |
| Director | Lee Unkrich |
| Genre | Family / Animation / Music / Adventure |
| Runtime | 105 minutes |
| Language | EN |
Quick Verdict: Hit or Flop?
Is Coco (2017) worth watching? According to our cinematic analysis, the film stands as a SUPER HIT with a verified audience rating of 8.2/10. Whether you're looking for the box office collection, ending explained, or parents guide, our review covers everything you need to know about this Family.
Cast & Character Study
The performances in Coco are led by Anthony Gonzalez . The supporting cast, including Gael García Bernal and Benjamin Bratt , provides the necessary layers to the central narrative.
movieMx Verdict: Is it Worth Your Time?
What Works in the Movie
Coco stands out as a strong entry in the Family genre. The film benefits from engaging storytelling, memorable performances, and solid production values that help keep viewers invested.
- Compelling performances from the main cast
- Strong visual storytelling and direction
- Well-structured Family narrative
- Satisfying emotional or dramatic payoff
What Doesn't Work
Despite its strengths, Coco has a few issues that may affect the overall viewing experience, particularly in terms of pacing and narrative consistency.
- Uneven pacing in certain parts of the film
- Some predictable plot developments
- May not appeal to audiences outside the Family fanbase
Story & Plot Summary: Coco
Quick Plot Summary: Released in 2017, Coco is a Family, Animation, Music, Adventure film directed by Lee Unkrich. The narrative presents a compelling narrative that engages viewers from start to finish. This summary provides a scannable look at the movie's central conflict involving Anthony Gonzalez.
Story Breakdown
The title presents its narrative with careful attention to pacing and character development. Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz. Desperate to prove his talent, Miguel finds himself in the stunning and colorful Land of the Dead following a mysterious chain of events. Along the way, he meets charming trickster Hector, and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history. The story unfolds naturally, allowing viewers to become invested in the outcome while maintaining engagement throughout.
Narrative Structure
- Opening Hook: The title establishes its world and central conflict efficiently in the opening act.
- Character Arc: The protagonist, portrayed by Anthony Gonzalez, undergoes a meaningful transformation, with their journey feeling earned and emotionally resonant. Supporting characters are well-developed, each serving a purpose in the narrative.
- Climax & Resolution: The climax brings together the narrative threads, providing resolution while staying true to the established tone.
Thematic Depth
The film operates on multiple levels, using its genre framework to explore deeper themes about human nature, society, and the choices that define us.
What Works & What Doesn't
✅ Strengths
- Exceptional storytelling that balances entertainment with substance
- Strong performances, especially from Anthony Gonzalez, that bring depth to the characters
- Technical excellence in cinematography, editing, and sound design
⚠️ Weaknesses
- Minor pacing issues that do not significantly detract from the experience
- A few underdeveloped subplots
Ending Explained: Coco
Coco Ending Explained: Directed by Lee Unkrich, Coco delivers a satisfying and emotionally impactful resolution. The ending highlights the core family themes developed throughout the film.
The conclusion reflects the central themes explored throughout the narrative, particularly in scenes involving Anthony Gonzalez. Many viewers have praised the way the narrative builds toward its final moments.
Key Elements of the Ending
- Narrative Resolution: The main storyline reaches a clear conclusion.
- Character Development: The central characters complete meaningful arcs.
- Thematic Message: The ending reinforces the family themes introduced earlier in the film.
The final moments of Coco leave a lasting impression and strengthen the overall impact of the story.
Who Should Watch Coco?
Highly Recommended For:
- Fans of Family cinema looking for quality storytelling
- Viewers who appreciate well-executed genre storytelling
- Anyone seeking a well-crafted film that delivers on its promises
Box Office Collection: Coco
| Metric / Region | Collection (Approx) |
|---|---|
| Production Budget | $175.0M |
| Worldwide Gross | $814.6M |
| Trade Verdict | CLEAN HIT |
Coco Budget
The estimated production budget for Coco is $175.0M. This figure covers principal photography, talent acquisitions, and visual effects. When accounting for global marketing and distribution, the break-even point is typically 2x the base production cost.
Top Cast: Coco
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YouTubeCoco Parents Guide & Age Rating
2017 AdvisoryWondering about Coco age rating or if it's safe for kids? Here is our cinematic advisory:
⏱️ Runtime & Duration
The total runtime of Coco is 105 minutes (1h 45m). Ensuring you have enough time for the full cinematic experience.
Verdict Summary
Analyzing the overall audience sentiment, verified rating of 8.2/10, and global performance metrics, Coco is classified as a SUPER HIT. It remains an essential part of the 2017 cinematic calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Coco worth watching?
Coco is definitely worth watching if you enjoy Family movies. It has a verified rating of 8.2/10 and stands as a SUPER HIT in our box office analysis.
Where can I find Coco parents guide and age rating?
The official parents guide for Coco identifies it as PG. Our detailed advisory section above covers all content warnings for families.
What is the total runtime of Coco?
The total duration of Coco is 105 minutes, which is approximately 1h 45m long.
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How Coco Compares & Where it Ranks
Critic Reviews for Coco
Spectacularly colourful with a sweet, (albeit predictable) path. Certainly not a misfire from Pixar, but also did not appeal to me personally in the way that many of their other films have. _Final rating:★★½ - Not quite for me, but I definitely get the appeal._
**Beautiful, colourful and sweet** This film has real heart, with great messages about what family can and should do for each other. Great voice acting, great songs without having the burden of exposition via song that you find in the more musical ventures by Disney. I loved that you could see genuine guitar chords being played, so often in live action films the playing of musical instruments, especially guitar are poorly faked. None of that in this animated gem. One thing I personally loved was the depiction of Mexican culture. Although I really enjoyed _Moana_, I thought it was a little bit too much of a pastiche of multiple Pacific cultures when it should have just picked one (Maori) and stuck with it. _Coco_ celebrates Mexican culture, and depicts it well. The only thing missing for me was more Mexican cuisine. It can get a little dark in places, so maybe be careful when watching it with the little ones, but should appeal to most of the family. 9/10
I loved the movie starting from the characters, animation, colors, emotions, story everything. A good way to tell how important a family is. Happy it had a happy ending.
Sensational! 'Coco' is straight into my top five of Disney animations. The whole 105 minutes are a joy to watch, thanks to its rich and highly meaningful story alongside the wonderful animation and sharp humour. Safe to say, I was not expecting this film to smash it out the park - which it totally does. This is why I don't, personally, look up about films before watching them, I love being surprised. Big credit also goes to the cast, who play some awesome characters. From Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) to Héctor (Gael García Bernal) to Ernesto (Benjamin Bratt), among others, they are all very, very good. It isn't just the characters that make this memorable, it is also the excellent plot which is told beautifully. It's filled with not just comedy but also a load of heart - there's a few nicely done twists too. The world that they create around the Day of the Dead is fantastic, while the music fits perfectly. If you haven't already, you must watch this! It's brilliant!
Budding guitarist "Miguel" is puzzled by his family's long-established ban on anything musical. To him it just doesn't make any sense at all especially as, generations ago, his family were at the top of that very game. Determined to get to the bottom of that mystery so he can emulate the legendary heart-throb "Ernesto" (a cross between Julio Iglesias and Justin Bieber), he finds that serendipity takes an hand in things. On the Day of the Dead, he manages to get himself transported to the the vibrant and surprisingly lively land of the dead where he encounters the slightly mischievous "Hector" who promises to guide him to his great, great grand-father, find the truth and enable him to return home to a family that will, once again, embrace music. He has to get a move on though, as he only has the hours of darkness to fulfil his quest - so the race is on. Meantime some of his other, long deceased, family are also on his trail bent on returning him home without his music. To be honest, I found the underlying tale of loyalty and family to be just a bit overly-sentimental at times, but the quality and vivacity of the animation is a class apart - huge great eyes and smiles that tell the story so much better than words ever could. The story marries the musical with the dastardly and mysterious nicely with a well written script and a quickly paced storyline that is really quite entertaining. This works better on a big screen - it really shows the animators art off to best effect and, luckily, this has plenty for the adult audience too with some engagingly quirky characters.
movieMx Verified
This review has been verified for accuracy and editorial quality by our senior cinematic analysts.
This analysis is compiled by our editorial experts using multi-source verification and audience sentiment data for maximum accuracy.
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