Review: 'Vivo' again shows Lin-Manuel Miranda, even as a furry animated creature, is a vibrant musical force

Lin-Manuel Miranda’s winning streak, one would think, can’t keep going forever — but the creator of “Hamilton” and “in the Heights” shows no signs of slowing down with “Vivo,” a surprisingly fun and heartwarming animated musical in which Miranda provides both the songs and the voice of the title character singing many of them.

Vivo is a kinkajou, a “honey bear,” an improbably cute tree-climbing creature from the Amazon, transplanted to the streets of Havana, Cuba. There, he performs for his human partner, Andrés (voiced by Cuban bandleader Juan de Marcos), an organ grinder, for spare change in the plaza.

It’s a good life, and the musically adept Vivo sees no reason to mess with it. So Vivo — whose speaking voice is heard by us, but not the humans around him — objects when Andrés makes plans to travel to Miami to see the final concert of the singing star Marta Sandoval (voiced by Gloria Estefan). Andrés and Marta were partners, musical and personally, but Andrés never told Marta how he felt about her before she got on the plane for Miami and a stellar career.

When Andrés dies overnight, Vivo makes it his mission to deliver to Marta a piece of sheet music — with the song Andrés wrote to declare his love for her. Vivo must team up with Gabi (voiced by newcomer Ynairaly Simo), Andrés’ boisterous 10-year-old great-niece, visiting Cuba from Key West with her mom, Rosa (voiced by Zoe Saldana). Gabi and Vivo conspire to make the trip from Key West to Miami before Marta’s farewell concert that night — and the journey takes an unexpected detour through the Everglades.

Director Kirk DeMicco (“The Croods”) co-wrote the screenplay with Quiara Alegría Hudes, Miranda’s writing partner on “In the Heights,” so it’s nicely attuned to Miranda’s songwriting rhythms. The songs are loaded with Miranda’s fast-talking wordplay (he even works in a “Back to the Future” reference), and are infused with the composer’s love of Cuban music. Miranda sings most of the songs, sometimes duetting with young Simo, and his expressive voice works on the material — though Estefan, in the lovely final act, steals the show with her beautiful voice.

With a candy-colored palette to capture sunny Havana and neon-lit Miami, and some charmingly funny supporting characters — including a python voiced by Michael Rooker — “Vivo” is an animated movie that gives the grown-ups as much to enjoy as the kids. 

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‘Vivo’

★★★1/2

Available starting Friday, August 6, on Netflix. Rated PG for some thematic elements and mild action. Running time: 96 minutes.