Bring home ‘Vivo’
Category: Blu-ray's and DVD's
The animated musical Vivo is now available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital. It’s filled with emotions, love, and a lot of music.
Lin-Manuel Miranda voices Vivo, a little kinkajou who is the devoted companion of Andres. Every day they entertain people in the plaza in Havana. Their music is a treat for everyone. Then Andres is invited to Miami to sing with his former musical partner Marta Sandoval, the woman he loved but never admitted his feelings to her. Having written a love song specifically for her, he planned on singing it to her in Miami. But when tragedy strikes, Vivo decides to take the song to Miami on his behalf. It would be the final thing he can do for his beloved owner.
During the memorial service ten-year-old Gabi and her mom meet Vivo. They have traveled to Havana from Key West to pay their respects to her uncle. Gabi is a young girl who has her own ideas about life. She moves to the beat of her own drum and definitely is not conventional. That’s putting it mildly.
Vivo sneaks into Gabi’s suitcase and soon he is in Florida to deliver the song to Marta (voiced by Gloria Estefan). But how is this little fellow going to get from Key West to Miami, and in time for Marta’s final concert? That’s where little Gabi comes in. She adores Vivo and upon discovering the reason he came to Florida, she vows to help him deliver the music.
Their exploits begins and they are off on an adventure that will have them maneuvering through the everglades, confronting dangerous animals, and making new friends.
The story is definitely emotional. Little Vivo misses his beloved Andres. And Gabi is an unusual little girl who is a character that unleashes a lot of whimsy as she travels to her own music and defies convention. She is brave, loving, and adorable, even with her purple hair.
The film is filled with music. Every few minutes a new song is unleashed, adding to the enjoyment of this delightful story. The moral of the story – “Love lives forever in your heart” – is touching.
So, you might be wondering what exactly is a kinkajou. Well, although it looks like a little monkey, it is actually a mammal from the rainforest closely related to raccoons. And yes, there are plush versions of little Vivo, complete his little hat and there are also plush Gabi dolls as well.
Vivo is rated PG for some thematic elements and mild action.
About the Author
Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA. Follow her on Twitter.