Like its title, "Vivo" is a film that's full of life. The animated adventure movie
is filled with lovable characters, vibrant landscapes, and of course, a lot of heart.
The film centers on its title kinkajou, Vivo, a honey bear who's spent almost all of his life
making music alongside his human friend, Andrés. When Andrés receives a letter from his former
singing partner and the love of his life, Marta Sandoval, he decides to pack up for
Miami so he can finally tell her how he feels. Both parents and kids alike will enjoy "Vivo",
but there are a few details that the older crowd is even more likely to pick up on.
Here's a look at some of the things adults may notice in this new animated sensation.
Spoilers ahead! One thing we learn about Vivo right away
is that he's afraid of travel, and for good reason. The very first time he took a big trip,
he was a helpless baby who is accidentally kidnapped after falling into a fruit crate.
Luckily, Andrés saved him from certain doom and gave him refuge in his nearby apartment,
but for Vivo, the two-block commute between Andrés' home and their singing spot is the
longest journey he wants to take from then on. So once Andrés receives his reunion invitation
from Marta and proposes a trip to Miami to reunite with her on-stage,
Vivo has to overcome a lot of doubt and dread before he can agree to pack his bag for the trip.
"Ha, I can't believe you're seriously considering this."
"Oh, Vivo, you are excited too, eh?" "No!"
Kids will probably pick up on the fact that Vivo doesn't want to leave home,
but adults will have a deeper understanding of that fear of
stepping outside your comfort zone and opening yourself up to new experiences.
Andrés' American niece, Gabi, is extremely enthusiastic about the prospect of keeping
Vivo as a new pet. But Vivo soon discovers the real reason why she's so keen on keeping him.
Gabi is something of a pet collector -- with some pretty alarming results.
"Are those little gravestones?" "Oh, that's my petting zoo."
We don't know whether these critters perished from old age or owner incompetence,
but judging by how resistant her mom, Rosa, is to the idea of bringing Vivo home,
this little girl might not be the most reliable pet owner. The Sand Dollars certainly seem to
distrust her ability to take care of Vivo, and maybe they're not so out of line.
Besides, kinkajous are wild animals, which should never be turned into pets to begin with.
Speaking of those Sand Dollars, parents are also likely to notice that these three young
ladies sure do seem to have a lot of freedom from their own folks. It's one thing for them
to host the club's cookie-selling booth by themselves, but it's an entirely different
story for these girls to have an actual boat at their disposal to go off scouring the Everglades
for Gabi and Vivo with nary a grownup in sight. Perhaps the reason they have so much leeway
is that they're absolutely fearless when it comes to confronting adults.
Since the Sand Dollars are incredibly committed to their mission of eco-consciousness,
they don't hesitate to call out their customers. You know that if you buy a Sand Dollars cloth bag
instead of using a plastic one, then you won't have the blood of mother nature on your hands.
"I'm not a bad man. I just want a cookie." So when they put their mind to finding and
protecting Gabi's new kinkajou friend, there's probably just no one who
dare to stop them. Sure, they might be pint-sized, but they sure are tenacious.
Another subtle detail that adult audiences of "Vivo" are likely to pick up on is that Gabi and
Rosa have endured a very difficult tragedy and have trouble seeing eye to eye as a result of
their loss. Over time, the two drop hints that Gabi's father, Carlos, was just as musically
inclined and free-wheeling as she is and that the two were very, very close when he was still alive.
In fact, it seems that Gabi's wild-style personality comes directly from her father,
and Rosa struggles to connect with and understand her daughter throughout the story.
Gabi, too, internalizes some severe pain over her father's passing because,
she implies in a tender moment with her mom in Miami, his death was so sudden that she didn't get
the chance to say her goodbyes. That's why she was so emotionally invested in Vivo's journey.
"He didn't get to tell Marta he loved her, just like I never got to tell dad
how much I loved him." One thing audiences of all ages
are bound to cheer for is just how self-confident Gabi is. If her electric hairstyle and boisterous
personality weren't evidence enough, she also roundly rejects the idea of changing
her attire -- or her priorities -- to fit in with the other girls in the Sand Dollars club.
That kind of unapologetic self-esteem is not only inspiring to the characters around her,
but it's also a very positive message for impressionable audiences to take
away from the film. So her can-do spirit is certainly something parents can appreciate
while watching along with their own kids. Thanks for watching. Click the links in
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