In the Heights review

IN THE HEIGHTS: 

JON M. CHU AND LIN-MANUAL MIRANDA SUCCESSFULLY BRING THE STREETS OF WASHINGTON HEIGHTS TO LIFE! 

By Nico Beland

Movie Review: *** ½ out of 4

WARNER BROS. PICTURES

Melissa Barrera, Anthony Ramos, Leslie Grace, and Corey Hawkins are In the Heights

 

            Hamilton creator, Lin-Manual Miranda joins forces with director, Jon M. Chu (Step Up 2 and 3, Now You See Me 2, Crazy Rich Asians) to bring the streets of Washington Heights to life in the film adaptation of In the Heights, based on Miranda’s stage musical of the same name. The film had been in development hell since 2008 and was originally intended to be directed by Hocus Pocus director, Kenny Ortega under Universal Pictures, but the project never came into fruition until Chu and Warner Bros. acquired it. 

            I should make this clear, I’ve never seen the musical before so I’m not sure if the film faithfully captures the spirit of it. But after enjoying Miranda’s supporting role in Mary Poppins Returns and absolutely loving Hamilton when it was released on Disney+, why not give a film adaptation of one of his musicals a shot? Even if the trailer was overplayed in movie theaters for a long time. 

            Well, after being delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, In the Heights has finally been released in theaters as well as HBO Max. So, after all the hype surrounding this movie, was this long overdue trip to Washington Heights worth the wait? Yes, it is! 

            While I don’t think it’s quite on the same level as other musicals like West Side Story, The Sound of Music, or even La La Land, In the Heights is an incredibly entertaining movie that’s more than just a musical…it’s a celebration of culture and community with vibrant colors, dazzling musical numbers, great songs, and a colorful cast of characters. I was literally dancing in my seat, tapping my foot to the music, and by the end I came out of the theater with a big smile on my face…to me, that’s what a great musical is supposed to do, and this is no exception. 

            The film tells the story of the lively neighborhood of Washington Heights where the lights are up and this vibrant, almost fantasy-like community shines from day to night and follows those who inhabit the neighborhood. At the center of it all is a bodega owner named Usnavi (Anthony Ramos-Hamilton, A Star is Born (2018), Trolls World Tour) who saves every penny from his daily grind in hopes of a better life.

            The film also stars Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton, Kong: Skull Island, BlacKkKlansman) as taxi company employee, Benny, Leslie Grace as college student, Nina Rosario, Melissa Barrera (Tanto amor, Vida, Scream(2022)) as aspiring fashion designer and Usnavi’s love interest, Vanessa Morales, Olga Merediz reprising her role from the Broadway musical as Abuela Claudia, Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent, Smash, Katy Keene) as Daniela, Gregory Diaz IV (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Carrie Pilby, Vampires VS the Bronx) as Sonny, Jimmy Smits (L.A. Law, The West Wing, Star Wars prequel trilogy) as Nina’s father, Kevin Rosario, Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Short Term 12, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part) as Carla, Dascha Polanco (Orange is the New Black, Joy, The Irishman) as Cuca, Miranda as Piragüero the Piragua Guy, and Marc Anthony (Hackers, Bringing Out the Dead, Man on Fire) as Usnavi’s father, Gapo de la Vega. 

            Overall, In the Heights is one of the most entertaining, energetic, and downright charming musicals I’ve seen since La La Land at least. The songs are incredibly catchy to the point where you’ll want to tap your foot in the theater, the musical numbers are well-choreographed and full of life, and just about every character in this movie is extremely likable…even the supporting characters. 

            There’s nothing emotionally deep or complex about these characters, but they’re all just so happy and lively singing about their neighborhood and dancing everywhere, it’s impossible not to crack a smile. But the movie doesn’t shy away from giving them relatable problems that they need to overcome and unique personalities which is why the characters in this work whereas the characters in Mamma Mia! or The Greatest Showman do not because you don’t have much of a connection with those characters as you do here and the main focus of those films were mostly on their soundtracks, not to mention a charming cast helps a lot. 

            All the actors work wonderfully together, most notably Ramos, Hawkins, Barrera, and Grace and not once did I think they were merely acting with one another, Even when they’re singing and dancing, I believed they were either close friends or romantic partners, because the entire cast have good chemistry and the script allows them to have slow and somber moments to develop their characters. 

            In the Heights is easily one of the best modern musicals as well as one of the best films of the year. It’s an energetic but also thoughtful celebration of culture and community with singing, dancing, and a whole lot of happy-go-lucky characters that are impossible to resist. 

I guarantee it’s a trip to Washington Heights you’ll never forget.