Is this 2021 flick a worthy adaptation of the Broadway musical it's based off, or is it no better than the infamous 2019 rendition of Cats before it? Time to find out as we take a look at:
I've been appreciative of songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda since I first got a taste of his work in 2016's Moana, which blossomed into full-on fandom following my listening to the album (and later seeing the recording of the play itself on Disney+) for the beloved smash-hit musical Hamilton (which had introduced mainstream audiences to Miranda in the first place). As such, the fact that In the Heights was based off a 2005 musical that'd also been the brainchild of Miranda and which he was involved in as a producer caught my attention & interest. Having finally seen it, I'm more than happy to say this is yet another hit from Miranda and co; let's find out what makes it deserving of such praise!
In the Heights follows young bodega owner Usnavi de la Vega, who’s been saving up the money he makes at the shop his late parents started in the Washington Heights community of New York; he hopes to accrue enough to one day return to his parents’ home country of the Dominican Republic and revitalize the store his dad ran there (prior to coming to the U.S.). However, Usnavi is far from the only one with dreams pertaining to the future, as his old friend Nina, having recently returned home from Stanford University, is conflicted over continuing her college education, while fashionista Vanessa (whom Usnavi has an infatuation for) seeks to finally move out of Washington Heights and to the downtown part(s) of New York in order to follow her dreams in fashion design (to name a few individuals). Will these (and other) characters be able to fulfill their dreams, or will life end up throwing them a curveball (as what often happens in reality)?
One area I have to give the filmmakers credit for is assembling a cast of lesser-known actors and actresses for this project, especially given that the powers at Warner Bros. could’ve easily pushed for a cast of big-name stars; heck, out of the main cast, only 3 names initially stood out to me: Anthony Ramos (who'd previously collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda on Hamilton as both Philip Hamilton and John Laurens), Corey Hawkins (aka Dr. Houston Brooks in 2017's Kong: Skull Island), and Jimmy Smits (aka Senator Bail Organa in the Star Wars prequel trilogy). It wasn't until the middle of watching the movie itself that it was brought to my attention that Stephanie Beatriz (who would go on to work with Miranda again in Walt Disney Animation Studios' Encanto as the voice of main protagonist Mirabel Madrigal) was also in this movie (albeit in a supporting role)! Miranda himself even makes a recurring cameo as a local piraguero salesman, and I thought he stole the show whenever he showed up simply by virtue of Miranda playing him, bringing the same spirited fluidity to his portion of the film's musical numbers that he contributed to his prior role as the title character of Hamilton! Besides Miranda, the rest of the principal cast do a commendable job in playing their characters, and the enjoyment they're having is palpable in their onscreen performances, which in turn helps to keep viewers invested in the characters' stories throughout In the Heights' 2-hour, 23-minute runtime!
Being an adaptation of a pre-existing musical, it's practically a given that the songs from the source material would show up in this film, and I am pleased to say that they make up arguably the best facet of the entire movie, with the main highlights for me being the opening song titled, you guessed it, "In the Heights", as well as "96,000" and "Blackout". The musical numbers manage to be both captivating and entertaining, with engaging beats accompanying the songs along with wordplay (lyrically speaking) that has Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical fingerprints all over it; one of arguably the most noteworthy instances of this songwriting has to be part of the first third of "96,000": "As for you, Mr. Frodo of the Shire - 96 Gs ain't enough to retire!"
While the lyrics and background beats accompanying them practically guarantee a good time when it comes to listening to the songs, they're bolstered by director Jon M. Chu's (best known for helming 2018's Crazy Rich Asians) creative visuals; for instance, during the first 3rd of the song, viewers are treated to Usnavi, Benny, Sonny, and 'Graffiti Pete' conjuring up such imaginary sights as an elongated Pinnochio-esque nose, a lasso, and even a Star Wars lightsaber (complete with the igniting and deactivating sound effects associated with the iconic weapon), all of which correspond to lyrics sung by the characters. Later in the same song, Chu even treats viewers to an underwater view of the dancing pool-goers, providing a neat visual perspective of the festivities unfolding. In addition to fun visuals like those described, I have to give major kudos to dance choreographer Christopher Scott (who previously worked on the show So You Think You Can Dance), as he managed to produce dance sequences that succeed in being engaging entertainment without detracting from the songs they’re accompanying. Lin-Manuel Miranda’s songwriting, combined with Chu’s directing and Scott’s choreography, ensure that if there’s anything to watch In the Heights for, it’s the musical number sequences!
Despite underperforming during its theatrical run (which could arguably be blamed on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as well as the decision to release the movie on HBO Max at the same time as in theaters), In the Heights is yet another triumph for Lin-Manuel Miranda as well as Jon M. Chu, as it has an uplifting narrative about finding appreciation for your community and the people in it, enjoyable characters who aren’t difficult to root for, and enthralling musical numbers that reinforce why Miranda is such a beloved artist and why Chu is a director who deserves more attention from mainstream audiences. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that I strongly recommend checking this flick out, especially if you’re a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s work; just sit back and prepare to have a heck of a time “In Washington Heights”!
