Coco: parents' guide
Best for ages 7 and up. Rated PG for thematic elements.
A colorful, music-filled Pixar adventure most families can share, though it deals with death more directly than many animated films. Miguel, a 12-year-old who dreams of playing guitar, crosses into the Land of the Dead on the Day of the Dead and must find his way home before sunrise. Skeleton imagery, a villain revealed to be a murderer, a few life-or-death chases and a forgotten soul fading away can frighten young children, and the ending is a tearjerker for anyone who has lost a grandparent. There is no profanity or sexual content. Age 7 reflects the scary moments and the grief.
What's in it
Violence
MildSlapstick: skeletons fall apart, and a singer is crushed by a falling bell in a comic flashback. Another flashback shows a man collapsing after being poisoned, and a villain has a boy thrown into a deep pit, then tosses him off a ledge. No blood.
Language
NoneNo profanity. Dialogue sticks to playground insults such as stupid, dumb and jerk, plus a heck and a shoot.
Sex and nudity
NoneNothing beyond a kiss in a black-and-white movie clip and married couples embracing. A painter works on a nude portrait whose model is a skeleton, played as a sight gag.
Drinking, drugs and smoking
MildAdults drink at parties in the Land of the Dead, one character downs a shot, and a fading man swigs from a bottle. A drink laced with poison figures in a flashback. No drunkenness or smoking.
Scary or intense scenes
ModerateThe Land of the Dead is crowded with skeletons, some missing heads or limbs, and a huge winged spirit creature can look menacing. A forgotten soul dissolves into dust, a beloved character seems to be fading away, and the climax is tense and emotional.
Sensitive topics
- Death of a parent
Worth talking about
Ask what it means to keep remembering family members who have died, and how Miguel balances his own dream with what his family expects of him.
On our lists
Similar picks around 7+
Checked October 13th, 2026 against Common Sense Media, Plugged In, bbfc.co.uk, moviemom.com. The age is our judgment, not an official rating, and every family draws its lines differently: read the notes, not just the number. Spotted something we missed? Tell us. How we rate.