Andres (Juan de Marcos) is enthralled when he receives an invitation letter from his old companion, Marta Sandoval (Gloria Estefan), to perform in her farewell tour. He will finally be able to confess his affections for her through a song he created a long time ago. Unfortunately, a tragedy occurs. Forcing Vivo (Miranda), his kinkajou partner, to deliver the letter from Cuba to Miami.
Meanwhile, Vivo meets Gabi (Ynairaly Simo), Andres' grandniece. Gabi is a rowdy 10-year-old girl who "marches to the beat of her own drum." She has no friends because of her outgoing personality. That is why, when she learns that Vivo is embarking on a grand adventure to deliver a love letter to Marta, she jumps at the chance to assist him.
Kirk Demicco throws in a few surprises right at the start of the movie, effectively driving the plot forward by throwing the audience into some unfamiliar territories. But don't be fooled: "Vivo" isn't a groundbreaking film that defies genre expectations. An animal protagonist traveling across the globe to deliver a Macguffin to someone special is nothing new.
“Vivo” is still entertaining because it recognizes that narrative, love, and music are all intertwined magically. Kudos to Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Miranda is truly a musical genius, and his rapping abilities are always entertaining to listen to. His brilliance, however, lies in his ability to shape emotions with verses and notes, create vibrant scenes with rhythms, and comment on the character's emotion and action seamlessly. His music completely immersed viewers in the world of “Vivo.”
Anyway, Latin culture and music are very relevant in the film and it is so entertaining to watch. I’m also impressed that the entire cast is Latinx, with newcomer Ynairaly Simo standing out as the purple-haired Gabi.
“Vivo” is a vibrant and fun film that any child would enjoy. Though, adults will find it to be a pleasant pastime. It's nice that it ventured into some serious territory, but there's nothing about it that separates it from the crowd.
3/5
