Anthony's Film Review - In the Heights (2021)

The music and emotional power are undeniably spectacular here...

In order to understand and appreciate the 2021 musical film In the Heights, you first need to understand and appreciate the creative genius behind it: Lin-Manuel Miranda. He has become a big name in musical theater, having created the unique memorable musical Hamilton that presents early U.S. history with a mostly nonwhite cast and modern styles of music. If you've seen that show, you know how catchy and unforgettable the music is while the story still moves along. I won't be surprised if, in the coming years, he becomes the new Andrew Lloyd Webber. I say this after being so impressed by another one of Miranda's musical projects, In the Heights.

The song and dance numbers in this film adaptation of the musical are a real treat. They are an eye-popping extravaganza of musical art, done on a large scale with a crowd of performers. Expect to see and hear incredible music in settings like a beauty salon, neighborhood streets, and a nightclub. The songs include romantic duets, catchy rap lyrics, and more. If I were to pick my favorite musical sequence, it would be hard to decide, but I'll still mention one: a song about a specific amount of money, performed mainly at a giant community swimming pool. Even if you were to have no story in this musical, that's OK. The music is the real treat.

Still, let's talk story and characters. In the Heights centers on several people within the Latin American community residing in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York. For example, the main character is Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who runs a convenience store that his father started and managed after immigrating from the Dominican Republic. Vanessa Morales (Melissa Barrera) works in a beauty salon but dreams of being a fashion designer. Nina Rosario (Leslie Grace) is a college student at Stanford University who suddenly decides to drop out. Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV) is Usnavi's young cousin who helps at the convenience store. Kevin Rosario (Jimmy Smits) runs a business, though had sold part of it to fund his daughter Nina's college tuition. Benny (Corey Hawkins) works for Mr. Rosario and is also romantically interested in Nina. "Abuela" Claudia (Olga Merediz) is the elderly matriarch who doesn't have biological children but has adopted many in the neighborhood as her own, including Usnavi. There's even Lin-Manuel Miranda himself in a cameo as a piragua seller. These characters plus all others I haven't mentioned create a wonderful community we can all love.

Speaking of community, that's one of the prevailing themes of this film. It's about the love that binds people together, the joy that comes from human connection, and the sense of belonging in a family or in the community at large. It's no wonder that many of the musical scenes have a large number of performers. In addition, there is the flipside of having a community connection: saying goodbye to it. Certain characters find themselves in the difficult position of bidding farewell to the people they love, even as they are on their way to supposedly better things. This is an example of not knowing the true value of something until it goes away.

That leads to the film's other major theme: dreams. In fact, Usnavi utters a specific word in the film's first scene: sueñito, which is Spanish for "little dream." Several characters have some kind of dream they are pursuing. I already mentioned Vanessa's fashion design dream and Kevin's wish for a better life for Nina. There's also Usnavi's wish to move to the Dominican Republic and be with his roots, Sonny's desire for something greater in New York, and Claudia's past dream about immigrating to America for a better life. No matter who it is or what he or she is pursuing, everyone is following a dream and seeing where it takes them, for better or for worse.

There are a few moments in this film that are fairly dramatic, involving some sort of crisis. They definitely enhance the drama of the story, and, having come to love the characters, we can feel for them. Another scene of drama comes in the form of a political rally calling for immigrant rights, a movement being led by a leader played by journalist Maria Hinojosa. Overall, there's enough drama to remind us how tough life can be. If anything, they give more meaning to the film's otherwise overarching positive mood, because bad times are the motivation for seeking good times.

I've already given credit to Lin-Manuel Miranda for writing this film. We should also acknowledge Quiara Alegría Hudes, who co-wrote this screenplay as well as wrote the original book and musical this film is based on. Lastly, let's give a round of applause to the director of In the Heights, Jon M. Chu. He previously directed Crazy Rich Asians, so he definitely knows firsthand what life is like for people of different cultures, making him perfectly qualified for the director's seat here. His collaboration with Lin-Manuel Miranda, along with the cast, choreographers, and everyone else involved, has produced something great for everyone. In the Heights is easily one of the best musical films of recent years. It can take our emotions, and the careers of the film's cast and crew, to new incredible heights.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about In the Heights, visit the Internet Movie Database.