We’re all dreaming big in Washington Heights.
“In the Heights” is a musical film based on the stage musical of the same name by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes, who also wrote the screenplay adaptation. The film was directed by Jon M. Chu, who also directed “Crazy Rich Asians.” It premiered in theaters and on HBO Max.
The musical follows Usnavi, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic who owns a bodega. Usnavi wants to follow his dream of returning to the Dominican Republic and reopening his father’s bar. He is joined along the way with his friends at the salon, taxi company and the neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City.
“In the Heights” is an enjoyable and exuberant musical filled with great set pieces, dance choreography and musical numbers. It’s a little long and the story is thin, but it’s an engaging and joyful time all around.
Anthony Ramos does an excellent job playing the optimistic and endearing Usnavi de la Vega. He proves to be a great lead for the film, especially during the musical sequences. This movie will act as a stepping stone for Ramos’ film career, as it’s clear that he can hold his own on the big screen.
The rest of the cast also does well in playing the supporting characters in the film. Corey Hawkins as taxi dispatcher Benny, Leslie Grace as the accomplished Nina, Melissa Barrera as the optimistic Vanessa and Gregory Diaz IV as Sonny all stand out within the film with interesting characters that they all perform well as. That’s not even mentioning the distinguished side characters that help make the neighborhood feel alive on screen.
The only bad performances in the film were some of the child actors, specifically during the story telling parts of the movie. Along with the sections themselves, they really bring the movie to a halt before returning to the main film.
Speaking of the story, it is a serviceable plot about the goals and dreams that people have and what they will go through to accomplish them. It’s a universal story that anyone can relate to, and it is delivered within the film well through the use of music.
There’s not a lot more to the story than that, which is unfortunate due to the movie’s length. The movie is too long while filling in the time with story beats and dramatic aspects that don’t really go anywhere. At times, it says a lot without saying anything at all.
However, the musical sequences more than make up for the story’s shallower elements. There are a ton of songs, ranging from beautiful duets to elaborate group numbers. The songs are where the majority of emotions, character development and story are progressed, and they do a fantastic job at conveying those elements.
The music is also dynamic, as it actively changes based on who is singing to match their style and rhythm. It’s an impressive detail that adds to the quality of the musical numbers in the film. It also works because characters switch musical styles throughout the film, mainly between rapping and Latin musical styles, so it keeps up with who is singing in what style.
One quick note about the rapping is that it is very corny with some goofy bars being thrown around all the time. However, it comes off as more endearing and fun than annoying or tone deaf, which is mostly due to the grandiose and fictitious nature of the film. It’s not trying to be too serious, so it works well.
Along with the music itself, the dance choreography is fun and expansive, with several big numbers that are heavily inspired by old Hollywood musicals. It has great range, as it goes from a couple of people dancing, to a bigger group and eventually the whole neighborhood breaking out into dance.
Finally, the cinematography is fluid, capturing the entire musical sequences well while not being afraid to move around. There’s great usage of color and lighting throughout the movie, especially during a sequence in the middle of the story. Along with that, the editing is pretty good, with only a few distracting cuts in different places. Generally, it does a good job at matching the tempo of the movie.
“In the Heights” is the ideal summer musical with excellent musical numbers and a fantastic lead performance. It’s a film that will resonate with people, especially as they come back to theaters for the first time in a long time.
The movie is overly long with a story that can’t quite fill that time in. But the music and dance sequences help fill those gaps.
All that being said, there has been some discussions around the representation of Latinx individuals in the film, with some saying it’s a good step in the right direction while not being representative enough. The Root has a good article about this lack of representation.
At the end of the day, “In the Heights” will more than likely be deemed the feel-good movie of the summer. It’s a great musical that just about everyone will enjoy.
3/5 Torches
