Vivo

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2021

76%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A music-loving kinkajou delivers a decades-old love song in this Lin-Manuel Miranda-infused animated adventure that'll hit you right in the feels.

6.7/10

86%

7.3

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Vivo

movie

PG, 2021

76%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A music-loving kinkajou delivers a decades-old love song in this Lin-Manuel Miranda-infused animated adventure that'll hit you right in the feels.

6.7

86%

7.3

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6.7/10

86%

7.3

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Screenwise Verdict

Vivo is a solid, heartfelt animated film that doesn't quite reach Pixar/Disney heights but delivers a genuinely sweet story with cultural richness and memorable music. It's the kind of movie that won't change your kid's life but also won't make you want to fake a work emergency to escape family movie night.

The Lin-Manuel Miranda musical elements give it energy and style, and the themes of loyalty and honoring relationships are genuinely touching without being manipulative. The kinkajou protagonist is adorable and different enough to feel fresh.

The emotional beats around loss and saying goodbye are handled with care, but sensitive kids might need a heads-up or a cuddle during certain moments. It's not traumatizing, just tender. Overall, it's a perfectly respectable choice that checks the boxes for family entertainment—engaging enough for kids, tolerable for parents, and with enough heart to make it worthwhile.

Age Fit

Best for ages 5-11, with the sweet spot around 6-9. Younger kids will enjoy the colorful animation and music, while older elementary kids can appreciate the emotional depth without it feeling babyish. Tweens might find it a touch young unless they're musical theater kids.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

A heartwarming story about friendship, loyalty, and honoring commitments that models cooperation and kindness. The central relationship between Vivo and his owner is tender, and the journey involves helping others and making connections. Some emotional moments around loss/separation exist but are handled age-appropriately. The pacing is energetic but not chaotic, with musical numbers providing rhythm.

Imaginative

Features a unique protagonist (a kinkajou, which most kids won't have encountered), a cross-country adventure with creative musical sequences, and vibrant animation that brings Miami and other settings to life. The music-driven narrative invites appreciation for creative expression and cultural elements. However, it follows a fairly standard adventure formula without groundbreaking originality in plot structure.

Safe

As an animated family film, it avoids graphic content, though there are likely some mild peril moments typical of adventure stories and emotional beats around the elderly owner's storyline (implied loss/separation). Without specific content rating data, assuming standard PG territory with no unexpected violence, scary imagery, or inappropriate content. The emotional content around saying goodbye may be tender but is handled within family-film conventions.

Enriching

Explores themes of keeping promises, pursuing meaningful goals, cross-generational friendship, and the power of music to connect people across time. Introduces Latin music and culture (Lin-Manuel Miranda's involvement suggests strong musical storytelling). Offers lessons about perseverance and honoring relationships. The TMDB 7.3 rating suggests solid entertainment value, though not exceptional critical acclaim that would indicate deeper impact.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Introduces kids to Latin music and culture through catchy original songs (Miranda's fingerprints are all over this)
Models loyalty, perseverance, and the importance of keeping promises across a lifetime
Features a genuinely unusual protagonist—when's the last time your kid saw a kinkajou as the hero?
Balances humor and heart without being overly saccharine, with enough adventure to keep things moving
Celebrates intergenerational friendship and the lasting power of creative expression

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What to Watch For

Emotional themes around aging, loss, and saying goodbye—handled gently but may prompt questions or tears
Some mild peril typical of animated adventures (nothing intense, but there's a journey to complete)
Musical format means lots of singing—if your kid zones out during song sequences, they might lose the thread
The pacing is energetic but younger kids might need help following the mission/motivation

Conversation Starters

"What would you want to say to someone if you could send them a special message like Vivo did?"
"Have you ever had to do something really hard to help a friend? What made you keep going?"
"What kind of animal would you want as a best friend? What adventures would you go on together?"
"Why do you think music was so important to Vivo and his owner?"
"If you could learn one thing from Vivo's journey, what would it be?"

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Vivo – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise