Coco

The sophisticated juxtaposition of logistic concerns & emotional issues secures this film's immortality.

Remember me.

The characters in Coco worry about it. They sing about it. They say it over and over again until you shout at the screen, We get it! They come into conflict over being forgotten!![^kids]

[^kids]: Note, this may be a result of the regularly repeated viewings of the film over and over again in my house. In fact, it's on right now!

One would assume then that an analysis of this Best Animated Feature for 2018 would turn up Memories as a critical inflection point for conflict within the narrative.

It doesn't.

A benchmark by which to measure success

The Dramatica theory of story identifies two crucial Storypoints within a Throughline: the Throughline's Concern and the Throughline's Benchmark. Both Storypoints interconnect in a holistic and balanced relationship unlike any other two Storypoints within a narrative.

  • The Concern identifies the type of conflict characters encounter using plot
  • The Benchmark measures that level of Concern

The more the Benchmark appears, the higher the Concern. The less, or weaker the Benchmark looks, the level of tension within the Concern drops appropriately.

In Coco, Memories—or being forgotten—functions as a Benchmark, not as a Concern.

Pinpointing the source of conflict within a story

Hector (Gael Garcia Bernal) fulfills the role of the Obstacle Character in Coco. While he spends a considerable amount of time focusing on his fear of being forgotten, it is the level to which everyone ignores him—or disregards him—that is indeed the source of conflict within his Throughline (Obstacle Character Concern of Conscious](https://subtxt.app/storypoint/influence-character-concern/conscious "Obstacle Character Concern of Conscious - Storypoint - Subtxt") and [_Obstacle Character Benchmark of_ Memory).

Likewise, Miguel—as the player holding the perspective of the Main Character Throughline—struggles with his version of remembering. In this case, those memories find storytelling in the shared family history and rejection of all things musical (Main Character Benchmark of `Past).

But the Past is not where Miguel finds conflict.

Miguel can't help but be attracted to something he shows a natural talent for and takes on without first asking his family (Main Character Issue of Attraction](https://subtxt.app/storypoint/main-character-issue/attraction "Main Character Issue of Attraction - Storypoint - Subtxt") and [_Main Character Problem of_ Proaction). His battle is the here and now, his struggle is being trapped in the figurative and literal land of the Dead when he wants to live through his music (Main Character Concern of `Present).

A similar, yet different, approach to solving problems

One grows as a result of an alternate perspective with somewhat similar inequities. Hector's feared disregard resonates with Miguel's fears of being disregarded and rejected by the family. Hector's attitude and fear of judgment show Miguel the way through his problems (Obstacle Character Throughline of Mind](https://subtxt.app/storypoint/influence-character-domain/Mind "Obstacle Character Domain of Mind - Storypoint - Subtxt") and [_Obstacle Character Problem of_ Evaluation).

The emotional balance towards a logical plot

The key to Coco's success lies in the dysfunctional relationship between Hector and Miguel (Relationship Story Throughline of Psychology](https://subtxt.app/storypoint/relationship-story-domain/Psychology "Relationship Story Domain of Psychology - Storypoint - Subtxt")). The subtle manipulations and use of each other in satisfying their objectives resonate against the plot-oriented storytelling of family guilt and yearly memorial services ([_Relationship Story Issue of_ Deficiency and Objective Story Issue of `Preconditions). The Relationship Story Throughline balances out the Objective Story Throughline the same way the Obstacle Character balances out the Main Character Throughline.

The certainty of shared history and expected levels of behavior within a family serves as an excellent counter-balance to the judgments and criticism that fuel the story's central plot (Relationship Story Problem of Certainty](https://subtxt.app/storypoint/relationship-story-problem/certainty "Relationship Story Problem of Certainty - Storypoint - Subtxt") and [_Objective Story Problem of_ Evaluation). The promise of their newfound family dynamic propels them across the bridge and into a position where the entire family re-examines their misconceptions (Relationship Story Solution of Potentiality](https://subtxt.app/storypoint/relationship-story-solution/potentiality "Relationship Story Solution of Potentiality - Storypoint - Subtxt") and [_Objective Story Solution of_ Re-evaluation).

The meaning of a changed perspective

Miguel and Hector return home just in time to play one last time for Grandma Coco (Story Continuum of Spacetime](https://subtxt.app/storypoint/story-continuum/spacetime "Story Continuum of Spacetime - Storypoint - Subtxt") and [_Story Driver of_ Action). While he flirts with giving up on his dream, Miguel's steadfastness and refusal to give into over-reaction grant his family the opportunity to find out what their matriarch thinks of Hector's music (Main Character Resolve of Steadfast](https://subtxt.app/storypoint/main-character-resolve/steadfast "Main Character Resolve of Steadfast - Storypoint - Subtxt") and [_Story Outcome of_ Success).

More importantly—and closer to the heart—this adherence to his point-of-view is just the thing the family needs to rethink their opinion of Hector. And for Hector to reconsider his low opinion of himself (Obstacle Character Resolve of Changed](https://subtxt.app/storypoint/influence-character-resolve/changed "Obstacle Character Resolve of Changed - Storypoint - Subtxt") and [_Obstacle Character Solution of_ Re-evaluation).

Miguel's steadfastness and Hector's paradigm shift proves to be beneficial for the entire family (Story Judgment of `Good) and provides the kind of significant meaning Audiences expect from a story.

Coco's sound and functional narrative account for much of the film's success. The attribution of key challenging perspectives to its principal characters, enrapturing them into an emotional and fulfilling relationship, and balancing this all against a plot integrated with their thematic explorations elevates Coco beyond all others.

In short, a film long remembered.

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