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https://www.scripts.com/script/coco_5714
Coco
Synopsis:Despite his family's baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel (voice of newcomer Anthony Gonzalez) dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz (voice of Benjamin Bratt). 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 (voice of Gael García Bernal), and together, they set off on an extraordinary journey to unlock the real story behind Miguel's family history.
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Comedy
Director(s): Lee Unkrich, Adrian Molina (co-director)
Actors: Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach
Production: Disney/Pixar
Won 2 Oscars. Another 86 wins & 28 nominations.
IMDB: 8.4 Metacritic: 81 Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
COLLECTION EDIT WATCH PDF BUY
PG Year: 2017 105 min $208,487,719 12,113 Views
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EXT. MARIGOLD PATH - DUSK
A path of marigold petals leads up to an altar lovingly
arranged in a humble cemetery. An old woman lights a candle
as the smoke of burning copal wood dances lyrically upward...
CARD:
DISNEY PRESENTS
CARD:
A PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS FILM
The smoke lifts up toward lines of papel picado - cut paper
banners -- that sway gently in the breeze.
PAPEL PICADO CARD: "COCO"
MIGUEL (V.O.)
Sometimes I think I'm cursed...
'cause of something that happened
before I was even born.
A story begins to play out on the papel picado.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
See, a long time ago there was this
family.
The images on the papel picado come to life to illustrate a
father, a mother, and a little girl. The family is happy.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
The papá, he was a musician.
The papá plays guitar while the mother dances with her
daughter.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
He and his family would sing, and
dance, and count their blessings...
(beat)
But he also had a dream... to play
for the world.
(beat)
And one day he left with his
guitar... and never returned.
The man walks down a road, guitar slung on his back. In
another vignette his daughter stands in the doorway, watching
her papá leave. Two feet step up next to her. It is her
mamá, hardened.
She shuts the door.
2.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
And the mamá...? She didn't have
time to cry over that walkaway
musician!
(beat)
After banishing all music from her
life...
The woman gets rid of all of her husband's instruments and
records.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
She found a way to provide for her
daughter...
(beat)
She rolled up her sleeves and she
learned to make shoes.
(beat)
She could have made candy!
Amongst the papel picado, a stick swings at a strung up
piñata which bursts with candy...
MIGUEL (V.O.)
Or fireworks!
Fireworks go off in the background...
MIGUEL (V.O.)
Or sparkly underwear for wrestlers!
Sparkly underwear and a luchador mask hang on a line amongst
other linens...
MIGUEL (V.O.)
But no... she chose shoes...
On the papel picado, the little girl becomes a young woman.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
Then she taught her daughter to
make shoes. And later, she taught
her son-in-law.
She introduces a suitor to the family business.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
Then her grandkids got roped in.
As her family grew, so did the
business.
In the next vignette, a bunch of goofy grandchildren join in
the shoemaking. The shoe shop is full of family!
3.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
Music had torn her family apart,
but shoes held them all together.
(beat)
You see, that woman was my great-
great grandmother, Mamá Imelda.
TILT DOWN from the papel picado to the
OFRENDA ROOM - DAY
where a photo sits at the top of a beautiful altar. The
photo features MAMÁ IMELDA -- serious, formidable. She holds
a baby on her lap. Her husband stands beside her, but his
face has been torn away.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
She died WAY before I was born.
But my family still tells her story
every year on Día de los Muertos --
the Day of the Dead...
(beat)
And her little girl?
Fade from the face of the little girl to present day MAMÁ
COCO (97), a living raisin, convalescing in a wicker
wheelchair.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
She's my great grandmother, Mamá
Coco.
A boy (12) walks into frame and kisses her on the cheek.
This is our narrator, MIGUEL.
MIGUEL:
Holá, Mamá Coco.
MAMÁ COCO
How are you, Julio?
MIGUEL (V.O.)
Actually, my name is Miguel. Mamá
Coco has trouble remembering
things... But it's good to talk to
her anyway. So I tell her pretty
much everything.
QUICK CUTS of Miguel with Mamá Coco:
4
EXT. COURTYARD
MIGUEL:
I used to run like this...
Miguel pumps his arms with his hands in fists. Then he
switches to flat palms.
MIGUEL:
But now I run like this which is
way faster!
CUT TO:
INT. MAMÁ COCO'S ROOM
Miguel, in a luchador mask, climbs onto the bed, arms raised.
MIGUEL:
And the winner is... Luchadora
Coco!
Miguel leaps off the bed onto a pile of pillows that bursts,
sending feathers onto Mamá Coco who wears a mask of her own.
CUT TO:
EXT. DINING AREA
Miguel leans toward Mamá Coco at the dinner table.
MIGUEL:
I have a dimple on this side, but
not on this side. Dimple. No
dimple. Dimple. No dimple--
ABUELITA:
Miguel! Eat your food.
Miguel's ABUELITA (70s) runs the table like a ship captain.
She gives Mamá Coco a kiss on the head.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
My Abuelita? She's Mamá Coco's
daughter.
Abuelita piles extra tamales on Miguel's plate.
ABUELITA:
Aw, you're a twig, mijo. Have some
more.
5.
MIGUEL:
No, gracias.
ABUELITA:
I asked if you would like more
tamales.
MIGUEL:
S-sí?
ABUELITA:
That's what I THOUGHT you said.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
Abuelita runs our house just like
Mamá Imelda did.
CUT TO:
INT. OFRENDA ROOM - DAY
Abuelita adjusts the photo of her beloved Mamá Imelda. Then
she perks her ear at a hooting sound.
INT. KITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER
Miguel idly blows into a glass soda bottle. Abuelita takes
the bottle away.
ABUELITA:
No music!
INT. MAMÁ COCO'S ROOM - DAY
Miguel listens as a truck drives by the window, blaring radio
tunes. Abuelita angrily slams the window shut.
ABUELITA:
No music!!
EXT. STREET - EVENING
A trio of gentlemen serenade each other as they stroll by the
family compound.
MUSICIANS:
(singing)
AUNQUE LA VIDA--
6.
Abuelita bursts out of the gate and chases them away.
ABUELITA:
NO MUSIC!!!
Terrified, the musicians stumble as they run away.
MIGUEL (V.O)
I think we're the only family in
México who hates music...
INT. RIVERA WORKSHOP - DAY
We see the Rivera family tinkering in the shoe shop, no music
to be heard. Miguel jogs past them.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
And my family's fine with that...
He grabs his shine box, and heads out of the shoe shop.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
But me?
MAMÁ
Be back by lunch, mijo!
MIGUEL:
Love you, Mamá!
Once outside, Miguel makes his way through the small town of
SANTA CECILIA - MORNING
MIGUEL (V.O.)
I am NOT like the rest of my
family...
He passes a woman sweeping a stoop.
WOMAN:
Hola, Miguel!
MIGUEL:
Hola!
He passes a band of musicians playing a tune. Miguel joins
with some air guitar and the further down the street he goes,
the more instruments and sounds layer in. The bells of the
church chime in harmony, a radio blares a cumbia rhythm.
7.
Running past a food stand, Miguel grabs a roll of pan dulce
and tosses the vendor a coin.
MIGUEL:
Muchas gracias!
STREET VENDOR:
De nada, Miguel!
As Miguel passes all these scenes, the music synthesizes and
he can't help but tap out rhythms along a table of alebrijes.
The fantastical wooden animal sculptures each play a
different tone like a marimba. Miguel finishes with a SMACK
on a trash can, out of which a pops up a scrappy hairless
Xolo dog. The dog, DANTE, barks and jumps up to lick Miguel,
who laughs.
MIGUEL:
Hey, hey! Dante!
Miguel holds the pan dulce over Dante's head.
MIGUEL:
Sit. Down. Roll over. Shake.
Fist bump.
Dante obeys to the best of his ability.
MIGUEL:
Good boy, Dante!
Miguel tosses the pan dulce to his furless friend who topples
back into the trash can.
CUT TO:
MARIACHI PLAZA - MOMENTS LATER
Miguel rounds the corner toward the town square. Vendors
sell sugar skulls and marigolds, and musicians fill the
square with music.
MIGUEL (V.O)
I know I'm not supposed to love
music -- but it's not my fault!
(beat)
It's his:
Ernesto de la Cruz...
Miguel approaches a statue of a handsome mariachi at the
heart of the plaza.
8.
MIGUEL (V.O)
...The greatest musician of all
time.
A tour group and their TOUR GUIDE are gathered around the
base of the statue.
TOUR GUIDE:
And right here, in this very plaza,
the young Ernesto de la Cruz took
his first steps toward becoming the
most beloved singer in Mexican
history!
CUT TO:
CLIPS of de la Cruz in his hay day: playing as a young man in
the plaza, serenading bystanders in a train car...
MIGUEL (V.O.)
He started out a total nobody from
Santa Cecilia, like me. But when
he played music, he made people
fall in love with him.
MORE CLIPS from de la Cruz's films. He leaps from a tree
branch onto a galloping horse. He plays his signature skull
guitar with flourish and flair.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
He starred in movies. He had the
coolest guitar... He could fly!
A CLIP features de la Cruz dressed as a hovering priest, held
up by strings, in front of a cycling sky flat.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
And he wrote the best songs! But
my all-time favorite? It's--
A CLIP of de la Cruz performing in a fancy nightclub.
DE LA CRUZ:
(singing)
REMEMBER ME:
THOUGH I HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE
REMEMBER ME:
DON'T LET IT MAKE YOU CRY
FOR EVEN IF I'M FAR AWAY
I HOLD YOU IN MY HEART
I SING A SECRET SONG TO YOU
EACH NIGHT WE ARE APART
REMEMBER ME:
(MORE)
9.
DE LA CRUZ (CONT'D)
THOUGH I HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR
REMEMBER ME:
EACH TIME YOU HEAR A SAD GUITAR
KNOW THAT I'M WITH YOU THE ONLY WAY
THAT I CAN BE...
MIGUEL (V.O.)
He lived the kind of life you dream
about... Until 1942...
As the audience swoons over de la Cruz, an absent-minded
stagehand leans on a lever. Ropes and pulleys go flying.
DE LA CRUZ:
UNTIL YOU'RE IN MY ARMS AGAIN
REMEMBER ME!
De la Cruz is subsequently crushed by a giant bell.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
When he was crushed by a giant
bell.
CUT TO:
MARIACHI PLAZA - DAY
Miguel gazes up at the statue of de la Cruz in awe.
MIGUEL (V.O)
I wanna be just like him.
CUT TO:
EXT. CEMETERY - MOMENTS LATER
Miguel weaves up to de la Cruz's mausoleum and peeks in the
window. He catches a glimpse of de la Cruz's signature skull
guitar.
MIGUEL (V.O.)
Sometimes, I look at de la Cruz and
I get this feeling... like we're
connected somehow. Like, if HE
could play music, maybe someday I
could too...
10.
EXT. MARIACHI PLAZA - DAY
MIGUEL (CONT'D)
...If it wasn't for my family.
PLAZA MARIACHI:
(playful)
Ay, ay, ay, muchacho.
MIGUEL:
Huh?
PLAZA MARIACHI:
I asked for a shoe shine, not your
life story.
Miguel comes out of his reverie and looks up at the PLAZA
MARIACHI whose shoes he is shining.
MIGUEL:
Oh, yeah, sorry.
He goes back to scrubbing the man's shoe. As Miguel shines,
the mariachi plucks his guitar idly.
MIGUEL:
I just can't really talk about any
of this at home so...
PLAZA MARIACHI:
Look, if I were you I'd march right
up to my family and say, "Hey! I'm
a musician. Deal with it!"
MIGUEL:
I could never say that...
PLAZA MARIACHI:
You ARE a musician, no?
MIGUEL:
I don't know. I mean... I only
really play for myself--
PLAZA MARIACHI:
Did de la Cruz become the world's
best musician by hiding his sweet,
sweet skills? No! He walked out
onto that plaza and he played out
loud!
11.
The mariachi gets an idea. He points to the gazebo where
organizers are setting up for a show. They unfurl a canvas
poster which reads "TALENT SHOW."
PLAZA MARIACHI (CONT'D)
Ah, mira, mira! They're setting up
for tonight. The music competition
for Día de Muertos. You wanna be
like your hero? You should sign
up!
MIGUEL:
Uh-uh, my family would freak!
PLAZA MARIACHI:
Look, if you're too scared, then,
well... have fun making shoes.
Miguel considers this.
PLAZA MARIACHI (CONT'D)
C'mon. What did de la Cruz always
say?
MIGUEL:
...Seize your moment?
The mariachi appraises Miguel, then offers his guitar.
PLAZA MARIACHI:
Show me what you got, muchacho.
I'll be your first audience.
Miguel's brows rise, surprised. He reaches to take the
instrument, regarding it as if holding a holy relic.
Miguel spreads his fingers across the strings anticipating
his chord and...
ABUELITA (O.S.)
MIGUEL!
Startled, Miguel impulsively throws the guitar back onto the
mariachi's lap. He turns to see Abuelita marching toward
him. Miguel's TÍO BERTO (40s) and PRIMA ROSA (16), follow
with supplies from the market.
MIGUEL:
Abuelita!
ABUELITA:
What are you doing here?
12.
MIGUEL:
Um...uh...
Miguel quickly packs away his shine rag and polishes.
Abuelita barrels up to the mariachi.
She hits his hat with her shoe and waves him away.
ABUELITA:
You leave my grandson alone!
PLAZA MARIACHI:
Doña, please -- I was just getting
a shine!
ABUELITA:
I know your tricks, mariachi!
(to Miguel)
What did he say to you?
MIGUEL:
He was just showing me his
guitar...
Gasps from the family.
TÍO BERTO
Shame on you!
Abuelita lords over the mariachi, shoe aimed directly between
his eyes.
ABUELITA:
My grandson is a sweet little
angelito querido cielito -- he
wants no part of your music,
mariachi! You keep away from him!
The mariachi scrambles away, snatching his hat off the
ground before he goes. Abuelita hugs Miguel protectively to
her bosom.
ABUELITA:
Ay, pobrecito! Estás bien, mijo?
She peppers him with kisses then releases him from the
embrace. He gasps for air.
ABUELITA:
(distressed)
You know better than to be here in
this place! You will come home.
Now.
13.
Abuelita turns toward home. Miguel sighs and gathers his
shine box. Then, seeing a flyer for the plaza "TALENT SHOW",
he can't help but pocket it. He follows Abuelita.
EXT. STREET - MOMENTS LATER
Miguel catches up to his family.
TÍO BERTO
How many times have we told you --
that plaza is crawling with
mariachis!
MIGUEL:
Yes, Tío Berto.
Dante ambles up to Miguel, sniffing and whining for a treat.
MIGUEL:
No, no, no!
Abuelita shoos him away.
ABUELITA:
Go away, you! Go!
Dante darts off, scared.
MIGUEL:
It's just Dante...
Abuelita throws her shoe at the dog.
ABUELITA:
Never name a street dog. They'll
follow you forever.
(beat)
Now, go get my shoe.
CUT TO:
INT. RIVERA WORKSHOP
The Rivera workshop is abuzz with family making shoes.
WHOMP! Miguel is plopped onto a stool, ready for a lecture.
ABUELITA:
I found your son in Mariachi Plaza!
PAPÁ
(disappointed)
Miguel...
14.
MAMÁ
You know how Abuelita feels about
the plaza.
MIGUEL:
I was just shining shoes!
TÍO BERTO
A musician's shoes!
Gasps from the family. PRIMO ABEL (19) is so shocked he
loses his grip on the shoe he is polishing, which zips away
from the polisher and lodges itself in the roof.
MIGUEL:
But the plaza's where all the foot
traffic is.
PAPÁ
If Abuelita says no more plaza,
then no more plaza.
MIGUEL:
(blurting)
But what about tonight?
PAPÁ FRANCO
What's tonight?
MIGUEL:
Well they're having this talent
show-
Abuelita perks her ear, suspicious. Miguel squirms, deciding
whether to go on.
MIGUEL:
And I thought I might...
Mamá looks at Miguel, curious.
MAMÁ
...Sign up?
MIGUEL:
Well, maybe?
PRIMA ROSA:
(laughing)
You have to have talent to be in a
talent show.
15.
PRIMO ABEL:
What are YOU going to do, shine
shoes?
The shoe from the ceiling falls back down on Abel's head.
ABUELITA:
It's Día de los Muertos -- no one's
going anywhere. Tonight is about
family.
She deposits a pile of marigolds in Miguel's arms.
ABUELITA:
Ofrenda room. Vámonos.
CUT TO:
INT. OFRENDA ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Miguel follows his Abuelita to the family ofrenda, holding
the pile of flowers as she arranges them on the altar.
ABUELITA:
Don't give me that look. Día de
los Muertos is the one night of the
year our ancestors can come visit
us.
(beat)
We've put their photos on the
ofrenda so their spirits can cross
over. That is very important! If
we don't put them up, they can't
come!
(beat)
We made all this food -- set out
the things they loved in life,
mijo. All this work to bring the
family together. I don't want you
sneaking off to who-knows-where.
She looks up to find Miguel sneaking away.
ABUELITA (CONT'D)
Where are you going?
MIGUEL:
I thought we were done...
16.
ABUELITA:
Ay, Dios mío... Being part of this
family means being HERE for this
family... I don't want to see you
end up like--
Abuelita looks up to the photo of the faceless musician.
MIGUEL:
Like Mamá Coco's papá?
ABUELITA:
Never mention that man! He's
better off forgotten.
MIGUEL:
But you're the one who--
ABUELITA:
Ta, ta, ta-tch!
MIGUEL:
I was just--
ABUELITA:
Tch-tch!
MIGUEL:
But--
ABUELITA:
Tch!
MIGUEL:
I--
ABUELITA:
Tch-tch!
MAMÁ COCO
Papá?
They look to find Mamá Coco agitated.
MAMÁ COCO (CONT'D)
Papá is home...?
ABUELITA:
Mamá, cálmese, cálmese.
MAMÁ COCO
Papá is coming home?
17.
ABUELITA:
No Mamá. It's okay, I'm here.
Mamá Coco looks up at Abuelita.
MAMÁ COCO
Who are you?
Sadness rises in Abuelita; she swallows it down.
ABUELITA:
Rest, Mamá.
Abuelita returns to the ofrenda.
ABUELITA (CONT'D)
I'm hard on you because I care,
Miguel.
(beat)
Miguel... Miguel?
She looks around the room. Miguel is nowhere to be found.
Abuelita steps up to the ofrenda.
ABUELITA (CONT'D)
(sigh)
What are we going to do with that
boy...?
She looks to the photo of Mamá Imelda. Abuelita's eyes
brighten with an idea.
ABUELITA (CONT'D)
You're right. That's just what he
needs!
CUT TO:
EXT. SIDE STREET
Tío Berto unloads rolls of leather from a truckbed. Nearby,
Dante sleeps under the shade of a tree. He startles awake by
a faint TWANGING. The dog scrambles up to the roof.
He reaches a shoe sign advertising the Rivera Family business
and lifts it up.
INT. ROOFTOP HIDEOUT
Dante pokes his head in. Miguel turns and gasps.
https://www.scripts.com/script.php?id=coco_5714&p=16