The 2021 animated feature Encanto follows the “fantastical and magical” Madrigal family in early 1900s Colombia, hiding in an enchanted place called the “Encanto,” with each member of the family bestowed with unique gifts, including Bruno (John Leguizamo). His magical power, however, had an unfavorable result that forced him to live among the rats, who served as his “telenovela” stars to keep him company. Considering the film’s timeline, Bruno’s knowledge of telenovela raises questions among fans, but Encanto’s co-director, Jared Bush, has a straight response to the animated film’s supposed plot hole.
While the film’s soundtrack suggests that “we don’t talk about Bruno,” fans are certainly talking about the apparent error in Bruno’s storyline. When Bush started an Encanto “Question and Answer portion” on his Twitter account, one user asked the director how Bruno learned about telenovelas, given that the soapy genre in television first appeared between the 1930s and 1950s. In the clearest and most obvious way possible, Bush responded: “He can see the future!” By any means, the director’s answer makes complete sense. It has put the Bruno plot hole debacle to rest, which some didn’t see coming, even when the answer was right in front of them already.
Although Bruno’s magical powers allowed him to anticipate the wonders of telenovelas before they even debuted, they also caused him to be held responsible for practically any unfortunate incident in his family, including the rain on his sister Pepa’s wedding day. Not to mention, his neighbors’ receding head and the death of a pet fish were blamed on Bruno by his town, forcing the poor Bruno to disappear and live apart not only from his family but from the rest. In addition to Bruno and Abuela (María Cecilia Botero), the Madrigal family includes Pepa (Carolina Gaitán), Julieta (Angie Cepeda), Dolores (Adassa), Camilo (Rhenzy Feliz), Antonio (Ravi Cabot-Conyers), Luisa (Jessica Darrow), and Isabela (Diane Guerrero), all of whom are blessed with unique mystical abilities, all except Mirabel (Stephanie Beatriz). But despite her difference, she may be able to save his family’s magic from dying.
Even though Encanto performed poorly at the box office, the film received widespread recognition when it was released on Disney+, thanks to its relatable characters and hit tuneful soundtrack, such as “What Else Can I Do?,” “Surface Pressure,” “Waiting on a Miracle,” and, of course, “We Don’t Talk About Bruno,” which landed the animated film a place in popular culture. Encanto took home the Best Animated Feature Oscar in 2022, while it received a nomination for “Dos Oruguitas” for Best Song. Additionally, the movie’s themes of family conflict, trauma, sibling rivalry, the elder’s burden, and growing up different from the rest contribute to its popularity, touching on some topics that aren’t often discussed within a family.
Bush directed Encanto alongside Byron Howard, with Bush and Charise Castro Smith screenwriting. Some of the film’s popular soundtracks were written by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Encanto is available to stream exclusively on Disney+.
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