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Vivo
2021 96 min United States of America, Hong Kong PG 12+
★7.1
Animation, Family, Comedy, Music
Director: Kirk DeMicco, Brandon Jeffords
Trailers
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EN
Teaser
EN
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EN
Description
A music-loving kinkajou named Vivo embarks on the journey of a lifetime to fulfill his destiny and deliver a love song for an old friend.
Starring
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Actor
Ynairaly Simo
Actor
Zoe Saldaña
Actor
Awards
2 wins & 17 nominations total
Key opinion
Vivo is a vibrant, family-friendly musical that offers an enjoyable and heartwarming adventure, though it lacks the narrative depth of stronger genre competitors. While its music is central to the storytelling, the film's reliance on specific musical tropes and uneven script quality leaves it feeling like a pleasant but unremarkable watch.
| Production | The film utilizes a visually distinct 2D and 3D animation style that effectively separates character dreams from reality. | |
| Emotion | The emotional core centered on themes of love, grief, and family values succeeds in creating a moving experience for both children and parents. | |
| Score | The songwriting from Lin-Manuel Miranda is polarizing; some praise his trademark style as essential to the narrative, while others find the tracks verbose, cringey, or inferior to his previous work. | |
| Screenplay | The narrative structure feels underdeveloped and messy, failing to fully flesh out certain characters and relying on predictable tropes. | |
| Acting | Opinions on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s vocal performance are split, with some finding his specific delivery perfect for the lead role and others criticizing his vocal quality and lack of cultural rhythmic nuance. |