Sometimes, I think I'm cursed. Because of something that happened before I was even born. See, a long time ago, there was this family. The papá, he was a musician. He and his family would sing and dance and count their blessings. But he also had a dream, to play for the world. And one day, he left with his guitar and never returned. And the mamá… She didn't have time to cry over that walk-away musician. After banishing all music from her life, she found a way to provide for her daughter. She rolled up her sleeves, and she learned to make shoes. She could have made candy, or fireworks, or sparkly underwear for wrestlers, but no, she chose shoes. Then she taught her daughter to make shoes. And later, she taught her son-in-law. Then her grandkids got roped in. As her family grew, so did the business. Music had torn her family apart. But shoes held them all together. You see, that woman was my great-great grandmother, Mamá Imelda. She died way before I was born. But my family still tells her story every year on Dia De Los Muertos. The Day of the Dead.
Most-quoted character in Coco (2017): in 21 of its 56 quotes
Most scenes with: Imelda (6), Héctor (4), Rosita (3)
I know I'm not supposed to love music. But it's not my fault! It's his! Ernesto de la Cruz… the greatest musician of all time. He started out a total nobody from Santa Cecilia, like me. But when he played music, he made people fall in love with him. He starred in movies, he had the coolest guitar! he could fly! And he wrote the best songs!
More lines from Miguel
6 quotesI think we're the only family in Mexico who hates music. And my family's fine with that. But me? I'm not like the rest of my family!
No more hiding, Dante. I gotta seize my moment. I'm gonna play in Mariachi Plaza if it kills me!
Mamá Coco, is your papá Ernesto de la Cruz?
Señor de la Cruz, please don't be mad. I'm Miguel. Your great-great grandson. [takes the guitar off the wall] I need to borrow this. [sighs] Our family thinks music is a curse. None of them understand but I know you would have. You would've told me to follow my heart. To seize my moment! So, if it's all right with you, I'm gonna play in the plaza, just like you did!
A minute ago I thought I was related to a murderer. You're a total upgrade!
Scenes with Miguel
14 scenesDon't give me that look. Día de los Muertos is the one night of the year our ancestors can come visit us. 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. 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. [catches him trying to sneak away] Where are you going?
I thought we were done.
Ay, Dios mio. Being part of this family means being here for this family. I don't want to see you end up like--
Like Mamá Coco's papá?
Never mention that man! He's better off forgotten.
Get under! Get under!
Miguel?
Nothing! [smiles nervously] Mama, Papa, I…
Miguel, your Abuelita had the most wonderful idea. We've all decided… it's time you joined us in the workshop! [puts a leather apron on him]
What?!
No more shining shoes. You will be making them! Every day after school!
Our Migueli-ti-ti-ti-to carrying on the family tradition! And on Dia de los Muertos! Your ancestors will be so proud! You'll craft huaraches just like your Tía Victoria.
And wingtips, like your Papá Julio!
But what if I'm no good at making shoes?
Ah, Miguel. You have your family here to guide you. You are a Rivera. And a Rivera is...
A shoemaker. Through and through.
Dios mio! Little boy, are you okay? Here. Let me help you. [pulls him out of the grave]
Thanks. I…
[His rescuer is revealed to be a living female skeleton, and they both scream in horror at each other.]
Tía Rosita?
Sí.
Papá Julio?
Hola!
Tía Victoria?
He doesn't seem entirely dead.
He's not quite alive either.
We need Mama Imelda. She'll know how to fix this.
She couldn't cross over!
On the other side!
Tío Oscar? Tío Felipe?
Oh. Hey, Miguel. [he and his twin brother both gasp]
I have a feeling this has something to do with you.
But if Mama Imelda can't come to us…
Then we are going to her. Vamanos!
This isn't a dream then! You're all really out there!
You thought we weren't?
Oh, I don't know. I thought it might have been one of those made-up things, that adults tell kids, like vitamins.
Miguel, vitamins are a real thing.
Well, now I'm thinking maybe they could be.
Mija, it's not nice to stare at-- [looks at Miguel] Ay! Santa Maria!
I'm sorry, señora, but it says here no one put up your photo!
My family always, ALWAYS put my photo on the ofrenda. [takes off her boot and smashes the computer with it] That devil box tells you nothing but lies!
Mamá Imelda? [Imelda aims her boot at him; he shrieks]
Oh, mi familia! They wouldn't let me cross the bridge! Tell this woman and her devil box that my photo is on the ofrenda!
Well, w-we never made it to the ofrenda.
What?
We ran into uh... um...
Mama Imelda.
What is going on?
You the Rivera family? [later… in his office; to Miguel] Well, you're cursed.
What?!
Dia de los Muertos is the night to give to the dead. You stole from the dead!
But I wasn't stealing the guitar.
Guitar?
It was my great-great-grandfather's! He would've wanted me to have it.
Ah, ah, ah! We do not speak of that "musician." He is dead to this family.
Uh, you're all dead.
I am sorry, whose alebrije is that?
That's just Dante.
He sure doesn't look like an alebrije.
He just looks like a plain old dog...
Or a sausage someone dropped in a barbershop.
Whatever he is, I am [sneezes] terribly allergic.
But Dante doesn't have any hair.
And I don’t have a nose, and yet here we are. [sneezes again]
But none of this explains why I couldn't cross over!
Oh. (I think I know why.) [chuckles nervously as he takes out the photo of Imelda, young Coco and the faceless man from his jacket pocket and holds it up]
It was an accident!
Now, you look at the living and say his name.
Nailed it! Now say, "I give you my blessing.".
I give you my blessing. [The marigold petal glows; Miguel is amazed] I give you my blessing to go home... [the petal glows brighter] to put my photo back on the ofrenda... [even brighter, Miguel nods] and to never play music again!
What?! She can't do that!
Well, technically, she can add any condition she wants.
Fine.
Then you hand the petal to Miguel.
No skeletons! [stares smugly at Ernesto's guitar and takes it] Mariachi Plaza, here I come! [Not even 2 steps later, he's back in the Land of the Dead; he is caught by Imelda.]
Two seconds, and you already break your promise!
This isn't fair, it's my life! You already had yours! [takes Imelda's petal] Papá Julio, I ask for your blessing! [Julio cringes nervously; one by one, each dead Rivera resists] Tía Rosita? Oscar? Felipe? Tía Victoria? [Victoria just shakes her head, meaning no]
Don't make this hard, mijo. You go home my way, or no way.
You really hate music that much?!
I will not let you go down the same path he did!
The same path he did... he did.
Listen to your Mamá Imelda.
She's just looking out for you.
Be reasonable.
Con permiso, I need to visit the restroom. [exits] Be right back!
Uh... should we tell him there are no restrooms in the Land of the Dead?
Wait, wait, wait. You said de la Cruz was your only family. The ONLY person who could send you home.
I do have other family, but–-
You could have taken my photo back this whole time?!
But they hate music. I need a musician's blessing!
Oh-ho, you're one to talk.
Look at me. I'm being forgotten, Miguel. I don't even know if I'm gonna last the night! I'm not gonna miss my one chance to cross that bridge, 'cause you want to live out some stupid musical fantasy!
It's not stupid!
I'm taking you to your family. [grabs Miguel's arm and pulls him to the stage, but Miguel pulls away]
Let go of me!
You'll thank me later.
You don't wanna help me. You only care about yourself! [pulls out Hector's photo from his pocket and throws it at him. Hector chases after it in the wind.] Keep your dumb photo! Stay away from me!
Hey, chamaco, where did you go? Chamaco! Sorry. Come back!
Dante, cállate! [tugs Miguel's leg] No, Dante, stop it! He can’t help me! [Dante tugs Miguel by the arm] Dante, stop! Stop it! Leave me alone! You’re not a spirit guide; you’re just a DUMB DOG! NOW GET OUT OF HERE!
[Dante, feeling hurt, whines and goes away...]
AAH!
This nonsense ends now, Miguel! I am giving you my blessing and you are going home.
I don't want your blessing! [runs through an alley and up the stairs]
You're ruining my life!
What?!
Music's the only thing that makes me happy. And YOU, you WANNA take that away! YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND! [continues marching upstairs]
Y aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona / No dejar de quiererte.
I-I thought you hated music.
Oh, I love it. I remember that feeling - when my husband would play and I would sing, and nothing else mattered, but when we had Coco suddenly, there was something in my life that mattered more than music. I wanted to put down roots. He wanted to play for the world. We each made a sacrifice to get what we wanted. Now, you must make a choice.
But I don't wanna pick sides. Why can't you be on my side? That's what families are supposed to do - support you, but you never will. [wipes a tear from his eye and runs off]
Héctor?
Kid?
Oh, Héctor! [They embrace each other.] You were right. I should have gone back to my family.
Hey-- hey, hey...
They told me not to be like de la Cruz… [cries, drying his eye] But I didn't listen.
Hey, it's okay...
I told them I didn't care if they remembered me. I didn't care if I was on their stupid ofrenda. [sobs quietly]
I told them I didn't care. [sobs, Hector suddenly spasms, surging with gold light and falls to the ground, weakly.] Héctor! Héctor?
She's... forgetting me.
Who?
My daughter.
She's the reason... you wanted to cross the bridge.
I just wanted to see her again. I never should've left Santa Cecilia. I wish I could apologize. I wish I could tell her that her papa was trying to come home… that he loved her so much. [long pause] My Coco.
Coco? [shows him the photo of Imelda, young Coco and the unknown man]
Whe-Where did you get this?
That's my Mamá Coco. [points to Imelda] That's my Mamá Imelda. [points to the faceless father] Is that... you?
...family? [smile at each other]
I always hoped I'd see her again. That she'd miss me. Maybe put up my photo… but it never happened. You know the worst part? Even if I never got to see Coco in the living world, I thought at least one day I'd see her here. Give her the biggest hug. But she's the last person who remembers me. The moment she's gone from the living world...
...you disappear from this one. You'll never get to see her.
Ever again. [long pause] You know, I wrote her a song once. We used to sing it every night at the same time, no matter how far apart we were. What I wouldn't give to sing it to her... one... last... time.
He stole your guitar. He stole your songs. You should be the one the world remembers, not de la Cruz!
I didn't write "Remember Me" for the world. I wrote it for Coco. [looks at Miguel sadly] I'm a pretty sorry excuse for a great-great grandpa.
Are you kidding? A minute ago, I thought I was related to a murderer. You're a total upgrade. [excitedly] My whole life, there is something that made me different. I never knew where it came from. But now I know... it... it comes from you. I'm proud we're family! [runs up happily] I’M PROUD TO BE HIS FAMILY!! [lets out a loud grito]
Dante? [Dante appears and barks happily] Dante! [laughs] It's Dante! [Pepita appears with a loud mighty roar which shakes the stalactites, Miguel laughs with joy until Imelda appeared above Pepita.]
Héctor [smiles nervously] Imelda!
You look good!
Don't I know you?
That's for murdering the love of my life!
Who?! Who the--
She's talking about ME! [to Imelda, lovestruck] I'm the love of your life?
I don't know! I'm still angry at you.
Héctor?! How did you--?
Grandson?!
She's talking about me!
YOU! [realized] Wait… you're related to Héctor?
The photo! [points to Héctor's photo in Ernesto's shirt pocket]
After him!
Ha, ha! [The audience starts booing at him as he laughs nervously] Please, please, mi familia!
Murderer!
Get off the stage!
Orchestra! A-1, A-2, A-1... [The conductor breaks his baton in half in contempt, without any words to say; singing] Remember me, though I have to s– [A tomato is thrown at his jacket] Hey! [The audience continues booing as they start throwing food at Ernesto.]
Look!
Here kitty, Nice kitty, Big kitty. [Pepita roars in Ernesto's face, then headbutts him, sending him flying. She then catches him by his waist as she flies off] Put me down! Please! I'm begging you! Stop it, stop that! [A cameraman follows Pepita] Ow, ow! [Pepita flips him into the air, then smacks him away with her tail. The villainous musician goes flying, then notices something up ahead] No! [screams, then smacks face-first into a large church bell, then lands beneath it. Appearing to be unharmed, he looks up and gasps in horror as the bell falls on top of him… again. As the crowd cheers in jubilant, a skeleton sits beside his wife while holding two ears of corn]
What did I miss?
Good boy, Dante.
Miguel! [they hug each other]
Héctor! [runs up to him] The photo… I-I-I lost it!
HÉCTOR! Héctor?!
No, we can still find the photo!
Miguel, it's almost sunrise!
No, no, no. I can't leave you! I promised I put your photo up! I promised you'd see Coco!
We're both out of time, mijo. [surges yet again]
No! No! She can't forget you!
I just wanted her to know... that I loved her. [takes out a marigold petal, surging once more]
Héctor!
You have our blessing... Miguel.
No, Papá Héctor! Please!! [The dead Riveras and Dante mourn sadly] No...! [panting sadly]
Go home. [smiles and surges one final time]
I promise I won't let Coco forget you! [the petal touches him] AHH!!
[A flash of petals, and the view fades to white; Miguel wakes up in the mausoleum and flees for home with the skull guitar in hand.]
And that man is your Papá Julio. And there's Tía Rosita, and your Tía Victoria. And those two are Oscar and Felipe. These aren't just old pictures, they're our family. And they're counting on us to remember them.
[Abuelita then places a photo of Mamá Coco on the ofrenda and Miguel hugs her]
