Jon Chu’s In the Heights is the most dazzling movie musical in years! Adapted from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first show, the eye-popping cinematography and awesome choreography make it this year’s first fun, feel-good movie.
Washington Heights is a predominantly Latino neighborhood in Upper Manhattan near the George Washington Bridge. Usnavi de la Vega (Anthony Ramos) runs a small bodega with his young cousin, Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV). For years, Usnavi has dreamt of returning to the Dominican Republic to revive his late father’s beachside bar. But he’s infatuated with Vanessa (Melissa Berrera), a wannabe fashion designer.
His friend Benny (Corey Hawkins) loves Nina (Leslie Grace); after her freshman year at Stanford, where she felt marginalized, she tells her father (Jimmy Smits) she wants to drop out and return to the comfort of the vibrant, close-knit barrio community.
Then there’s Abuela Claudia with Olga Merediz reprising her Tony-nominated role, chronicling the Latina matriarch’s poignant move from Havana to New York.
Unlike Hamilton, a filmed version of the Broadway musical, In the Heights has several splashy set-pieces. Recalling Busby Berkeley’s synchronized swimming sequences, one shows the entire neighborhood dreaming of what they’d do if they won the lottery while splashing in a massive public pool. Another is a ‘hat-tip’ to Fred Astaire’s gravity-defying Royal Wedding, as Nina and Benny dance on the side of an apartment building.
Movie magic at its best. Adapted/updated by Quiara Alegria Hudes and directed by Jon M. Chu, the specificity of its layered roots rings true. The cleverly rhymed rap complexity propels the plot/theme, illuminating the Latino immigrant experience for a mainstream audience. Heart-warming and jubilant, it’s highly recommended.
Check out our list of more modern musicals