Coco Page #5

She looks to the photo of Mamá Imelda. Abuelita's eyes

brighten with an idea.

ABUELITA (CONT'D)

You're right. That's just what he

needs!

CUT TO:

EXT. SIDE STREET

Tío Berto unloads rolls of leather from a truckbed. Nearby,

Dante sleeps under the shade of a tree. He startles awake by

a faint TWANGING. The dog scrambles up to the roof.

He reaches a shoe sign advertising the Rivera Family business

and lifts it up.

INT. ROOFTOP HIDEOUT

Dante pokes his head in. Miguel turns and gasps.

18.

MIGUEL:

Oh, it's you. Get in here, c'mon,

Dante. Hurry up.

Dante wriggles into the hideout. Miguel is huddled over

something. The dog peeks around his shoulder.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

You're gonna get me in trouble,

boy. Someone could hear me!

Miguel reveals a makeshift guitar, cobbled together from a

beat up old soundboard and random other items.

He takes a china marker and sketches a nose on what appears

to be his own version of a skull guitar head.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

I wish someone wanted to hear me...

Miguel tunes the guitar.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Other than you...

Dante gives Miguel a big sloppy lick. Miguel gives a grossed-

out chuckle. He lifts his guitar and strums.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

Perfecto!

He crawls to the far side of the attic where he's built his

own ofrenda to Ernesto de la Cruz. Posters, candles, and

songbooks are arranged with care. Miguel lights the candles

with reverence, illuminating an album cover of de la Cruz

holding his skull guitar.

Miguel compares the head of his guitar to the album cover.

Then he imitates de la Cruz's pose and smile.

He switches on a beat up old TV and pushes a tape into the

VCR, "Best of de la Cruz" scrawled on the spine.

A montage of the greatest moments from de la Cruz's films

plays out.

A clip from "A QUIEN YO AMO:"

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

I have to sing. I have to play.

The music, it's -- it's not just in

me. It is me.

19.

Miguel strums his guitar as de la Cruz imparts his wisdom.

More clips run in the background as Miguel plays:

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

When life gets me down, I play my

guitar.

In a clip from "A QUIEN YO AMO:"

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

The rest of the world may follow

the rules, but I must follow my

heart!

De la Cruz kisses a woman passionately. Miguel cringes.

Another clip from "A QUIEN YO AMO:"

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

You know that feeling? Like

there's a song in the air and it's

playing just for you...

As Miguel watches de la Cruz play guitar in the video, he

repeats the melody on his own guitar.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

(singing)

A FEELING SO CLOSE

YOU COULD REACH OUT AND TOUCH IT

I NEVER KNEW I COULD

WANT SOMETHING SO MUCH

BUT IT'S TRUE...

As a good-natured priest in "NUESTRA IGLESIA:"

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

You must have faith, sister.

NUN (FILM CLIP)

Oh but Padre, he will never listen.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

He will listen... to MUSIC!

(singing)

ONLY A SONG:

ONLY A SONG:

HAS THE POWER TO CHANGE A HEART...

Miguel loses himself in the music.

20.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

Never underestimate the power of

music...

Miguel's tune intertwines with the melodies on the TV set.

The clip jumps forward:

LOLA (FILM CLIP)

But my father, he will never give

his permission.

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

I am done asking permission. When

you see your moment you mustn't let

it pass you by, you must seize it!

The tape ends with an interview clip.

INTERVIEWER (FILM CLIP)

Señor de la Cruz, what did it take

for you to seize your moment?

DE LA CRUZ (FILM CLIP)

I had to have faith in my dream.

No one was going to hand it to me.

It was up to me to reach for that

dream, grab it tight, and make it

come true.

MIGUEL:

...and make it come true.

The tape ends. The words sink into Miguel. He reaches for

the flyer for the plaza "TALENT SHOW."

MIGUEL:

No more hiding, Dante. I gotta

seize my moment!

Dante wags his tail, panting happily.

MIGUEL (CONT'D)

I'm gonna play in Mariachi Plaza if

it kills me!

CUT TO:

EXT. RIVERA COMPOUND - SUNSET

Children run by with sparklers as Abuelita opens the doors to

the family compound.

21.

ABUELITA:

Día de los Muertos has begun!

In the courtyard, two TODDLER COUSINS haphazardly scatter

marigold petals from their baskets.

MAMÁ

No, no, no, no, no.

Mamá corrects them, creating a path from the ofrenda room to

the front gate.

MAMÁ (CONT'D)

We have to make a clear path. The

petals guide our ancestors home. We

don't want their spirits to get

lost. We want them to come, and

enjoy all the food and drinks on

the ofrenda, sí?

Rate this script:4.1 / 11 votes