Respond to these rapid questions in our In The Heights quiz and we will tell you which In The Heights character you are. Play it now.
It’s finally here! It’s jubilant, unapologetically massive, and bursting with a cozy, melancholy sense of communal belonging. “In The Heights” is the Hollywood event that we the movie lovers have been craving since the early days of the pandemic cut us off from one of our most cherished public lifelines, the New York City subway system. ‘Hamilton’ is a dazzling New York film that pays tribute to the diverse Latinx communities of Upper Manhattan, just as its multi-award-winning stage adaptation did before launching Lin-Manuel Miranda’s international stardom with “Hamilton.” This exuberant screen adaptation (which includes at least one delightful “Hamilton” Easter Egg) is ready to welcome you back into your neighborhood cinema with open arms, daring to light up that dark room in ways that are much bigger and brighter than
While watching “In The Heights,” it is possible to float weightlessly for nearly 145 minutes. And don’t be put off by the high number; the whole thing moves along as smoothly as a New York minute, dancing its way through a typically humid and sweaty summer in the urban island’s Washington Heights, which was on the verge of experiencing a soul-killing blackout when the film begins. “The streets were made of music,” says Usnavi de la Vega, the film’s heart and soul, while sitting on a picturesque tropical beach and telling his story to a group of adorable children early on in the film (a smart, recurring narrative anchor that resolves to a satisfying conclusion). Anthony Ramos takes on Miranda’s Broadway role in an irresistibly likable and instantly star-making performance, following a string of memorable roles in films such as “Monsters and Men,” “White Girl,” and “A Star is Born.” Ramos is your new favorite leading man.
To emphasize the melodic nature of the barrio right from the start, the film’s chief creative helmers, a trio consisting of virtuoso director Jon M. Chu, deft screenwriter Quiara Alegra Hudes (who also wrote the book for the stage musical and weaves a number of well-constructed changes into this version), and, of course, peerless creator Lin-Manuel Miranda (charismatically portraying a street vendor selling This may seem like a no-brainer for a production about a place’s complex and colorful rhythms, which fuse rap, hip-hop, and various Latin sounds such as salsa and merengue with traditional musical theater, but it is not. The location, on the other hand, provides Chu with the ideal setting in which to declare, “Let me show you how!” and to flaunt the visual proof throughout with a disarming disposition and jaw-dropping craft that coddles tight apartments, sun-dappled alleys, scenic overlooks, fire-escapes, and one gigantic public swimming pool. In fact, as a director who demonstrated his kinetic muscles with the sophisticated romantic comedy “Crazy Rich Asians” (which comes as close to a sense of choreographed musicality as a non-musical film can get) and who is no stranger to dance in film, primarily thanks to his entries in the “Step Up” franchise, Chu may just convert even the most ardent skeptics of musicals who question the plausibility of a group of people launching into a
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Further, Chu brilliantly demonstrates that the tenderness and ideological expanse of “In The Heights” were always intended for the big screen rather than the confines of a physical stage, in a way that is rare for theater. The logic and vision of Chu’s film captivates you, and you believe that it makes perfect sense when Usnavi, a sweet immigrant orphan from the Dominican Republic who has immediate dreams of returning to the island he considers a paradise, spins a manhole cover around like a turntable, snaps a gate latch into place in time with the splashing of the hose, and reflectively watches from inside his bodega as his entire neighborhood sings and dances in celebration of the In addition to being a lively introduction to an array of personalities, this Turkish immigrant critic (who lived in the geographically and culturally adjacent, similarly vibrant Hamilton Heights neighborhood for over a decade) was almost brought to her feet by the loud but calming swoosh of fire hydrants during the opening number.
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The concept of a sueito, or a small dream, is introduced to us in the same introduction, and it is something that everyone who has a significant role in “In The Heights” cherishes. It is Usnavi’s dream not only to return to the idyllic Dominican Republic of his childhood, but also to finally ask the intimidating Vanessa out on a date, which is something he has been delaying for years. Vanessa, played with such seductive verve by Melissa Barrera, dreams of leaving her dead-end beauty salon job working alongside the headstrong, mischievously gossipy ladies Daniela (Daphne Rubin-Vega), Carla (Stephanie Beatriz), and Cuca (Dascha Polanco), and moving downtown to pursue her passion career as a fashion designer. Then there’s Nina Rosario, a bright college student (played by the tremendously talented Leslie Grace), who yearns to reclaim her identity as a Latina after a disappointing year at the white-dominated Stanford University. While her decision to drop out of college disappoints Kevin (Jimmy Smits), her devoted father who has high expectations of her, it also delights and surprises Benny (Corey Hawkins, who is impossible to dislike). Benny is a strong-willed, energetic dispatcher working for Kevin’s limo company. His and Nina’s relationship is undeniably romantic. Usnavi’s cousin Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV, who is effortlessly likeable) is also in the mix, and he plays a significantly larger role in the film than he did in the musical. Sonny is the kind of undocumented Dreamer who is unwelcome in the Trumpian trenches of the country. (Fans of the original musical will recognize the scene in which Trump’s name is swapped with that of Tiger Woods right away.) The Monopoly man served as an avatar for him when I wrote the story. Once time has passed and he has come to represent a stain on American democracy, you change the lyric,” Miranda recently stated in an interview with Variety.
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All of these characters come together to create a huge, beautiful canvas that the Heights matriarch Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz, who is absolutely heartbreaking in a revival of her famed stage role) appears to have taken under her wing since the beginning of time. “Paciencia y Fe” (patience and faith) is what Abuela optimistically says as she waves her newly purchased lottery ticket in the air, foreshadowing one of the film’s most affecting and inspired sequences, which involves wistful vintage subway cars and her past as a hardworking immigrant. We soon discover that investing in the lottery is a common practice on her streets; once Usnavi receives word of a winning ticket sold at his deli, the musical’s earth-shattering centerpiece “96,000” arrives on the scene. We try to keep up with the hundreds of extras who are vying for the big bad $96K prize, which isn’t exactly life-saving money, but it’s enough to start over with a clean slate. It is shot in the Highbridge Pool, and it is this miraculous number (also deftly choreographed by Christopher Scott, just like the rest) of synchronized swimming and harmonic dancing in the tradition of Busby Berkeley that unites the entire cast with aplomb, confidently reminding the audience what kind of movie they are watching—a big motion picture that refuses to scale down its emotional scope and visual splendor.
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Because of this self-assured refusal to downsize on the outside and inside, the entire film succeeds as both an intimate ode to a tightknit community made up of individuals stuck in a “in-between” state of being (a visceral state of being that will be deeply familiar to fellow immigrants) and a hard-hitting political statement that has something to say about all the rampant systemic injustices ingrained in a maddeningly white-normative society, from A concept expressed by Abuela—that one can assert one’s dignity in small ways—is brought to life by Chu’s direction, Miranda’s music and lyrics, and Hudes’ script, all working together to memorialize that notion of self-worth by observing all of the details that add up to it. Thanks to the efforts of the entire cast (all of whom are exceptional singers, dancers, and performers), Alice Brooks’ dreamy cinematography, Myron Kerstein’s snappy editing, as well as production designer Nelson Coates and costume designer Mitchell Travers, the duo highlights the diverse shapes and forms of a unique slice of Manhattan with dizzying imagination, the film succeeds.
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Pay attention to the proud faces that exclaim “HEY!” during “Carnaval del Barrio,” another of the film’s buoyantly inviting songs; hum along, perhaps quietly weep, when silky fabrics spill out of buildings like tears as Vanessa yearns for a better future; and even take notice of Nina’s hair, which quickly transforms from straight to beautifully unruly and curly during “No Me Diga,” and you will be that much more charmed. “We are here,” this film affirms with cinematic majesty, as it is a celebration of the idea of home, both self-made and born and carried in one’s soul. Awe-inspiring to behold such an incredible sight!
In theaters and on HBO Max beginning June 10, “In the Heights” will be available for viewing online.
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