D'où l'on vient

If you mention musical movies to me I'll probably start rolling my eyes. I didn't particularly enjoy watching La La Land and the thought of having to sit through Russell Crowe warbling in Les Miserables absolutely terrifies me. But I have a confession to make in that the In The Heights movie was an absolute joy to witness. Uplifting, colourful and fun, it's the type of film that will leave you dancing in your cinema seat and smiling from ear to ear.

Based on the hit Broadway show of the same name and created by current 'it boy' Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, Mary Poppin's Returns), In the Heights is a very down-to-earth story told in a big, bombastic, spectacular way. Set in the New York borough of Washington Heights it's a story told through the eyes of Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), a small-time bodega owner with dreams of owning a bar on the beaches of the Dominican Republic where his parents once lived. But Usnavi isn't the only one with big dreams on this block. Hairdresser Vanessa (Melissa Barrera) wants to move to downtown New York to open a fashion business, Nina (Leslie Grace) wants to attend Stamford to become a successful Lawyer, while Usnavi's young cousin Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV) just wants to have enough money to attend school to get a good education. As we soon discover, all the people in this little community have big dreams but all also have something holding them back from achieving it. Over the course of this two-and-a-half-hour movie we sing, dance, rejoice, and mourn with them all, as they do their best to overcome their fears and finally start believing in themselves to achieve the success they crave.

THE GOOD

What a surprising delight this film turned out to be. The songs are catchy, the screen is alive with colour and the choreography for the many dance scenes is off the charts. Even the surliest movie viewer will find a song or dance number they'll fall in love with. It's a simple story that's been made better by the magical musical Miranda touch and helped immensely by great direction from Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians). And what really helped my enjoyment of the story was that all the characters were so likable that you can't help but barrack for them as they search for a way to achieve their dreams.

THE BAD

In yet another instance where a director seems to have forgotten to use a film editor, In The Heights clocks in at a completely unnecessary 146 minutes. My movie buddy and I discussed several scenes that weren't needed, especially Lin-Manuel Miranda's character Piraguero who seems to have been created so he can get his head on screen. His character actually has nothing really to do with the story but manages to squeeze out a couple of songs and a lot of screen time with the only reasoning being that it will help sell movie tickets. It was also slightly disappointing to realise that some of the characters didn't even manage to finish their story arcs in this exorbitant amount of movie viewing time. So as much as I may praise director Chu I feel he may have faltered in some areas too.

THE UGLY

I can't believe that this film was turned down by so many movie studios because they only thought it would be successful with a Latino star like Jennifer Lopez or Shakira playing a role. It has taken from 2008 up until now to be produced and a big thumbs-up should be given to Warner Brothers for taking a chance on it and releasing it with unknown actors in the lead roles. After watching In The Heights I couldn't see J-Lo or Shakira doing a better job than the amazing young actors in the film who all deliver amazing performances.

In The Heights is a bright and shining star in the middle of a dark and dreary time in the current world we live in. It may not be the perfect film, but the talent on display, the music, and the colour all brought a big smile to my face and I'm betting it will do the same for you too!

This movie is the feel-good summer hit we all have needed for the past year. You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll be transported to Washington Heights. Every facet of this movie is executed perfectly. The acting is amazing. The songs are amazing. Unlike most movie musicals, this movie isn't trying to emulate Broadway. It very much uses filmic language to tell a unique story through a unique style. Go see it on the biggest screen you can, you won't regret it.

Just way too long and should have been 30-40 minutes less. First couple of numbers and you think, this is pretty cool, but it soon gets very repetitive and the 'follow your dreams' message which is forced down your throat the whole time gets very tiresome. Good casting, dancing and a couple of numbers but too much of it overall. Can imagine this being good on the stage, perhaps it should have stayed there.

A friend who hopped on the Hamilton bandwagon relative early (with the original cast on Broadway) said to me, "I think this guy, Lin-Manuel Miranda, may be a freakin' (word substitution there) genius!" Naturally, I assumed that was the hyperbole common to those who think they've discovered something that is solid gold both. But having seen "Hamilton" and his earlier stage musical work, "In the Heights," translated to the big screen, it's getting pretty difficult to argue with that assessment. This one is about the hopes and dreams of its many and varied characters, just as "Hamilton"is about the hopes and dreams of the United States' founding fathers.

The "Heights" in question is Washington Heights, a big Apple neighborhood at the north end of the isle of Manhattan populated primarily by people of color, and where Lin grew up. Quiara Alegría Hudes adapted for the screen her book for her musical stage play. The notable director of "Crazy Rich Asians," Jon M. Chu, directs the energetic proceedings here. And of course, like Hamilton, all the music (from salsa to beats of merengue and bachata, to bomba y plena) and all the lyrics (which are almost exclusively hip-hop) are from the one-and-only Lin-Manuel. (A plump and bearded Lin appears in a mostly comic, near-cameo role that I won't spoil for you.) Combine all this with the endless joy of choreography & constant dancing and the innovative D. P. techniques (the cast says no harnesses were used in the "side-of-the-building" scene, which raises a serious question: "WTF?!?") and you have a real winner for generations of immigrant New Yorkers and their off-spring and the whole Latinx community, and a "West Side Story" for a new millennium. Highly recommended!

On a beach, Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) tells a group of youngsters about a place called Washington Heights in the faraway Nueva York. It's the days before the 1999 blackout. Usnavi runs a bodega but dreams of returning to his childhood home of Dominican Republic. He has a crush on the beautiful Vanessa (Melissa Barrera) who dreams of being a fashion designer. Nina returns from Stanford and is unwilling to go back especially if her father Kevin Rosario (Jimmy Smits) has to sell off his business to pay the tuition.

It's a Lin-Manuel Miranda musical directed by Jon M. Chu. I really loved some of this. It is too long and probably has too many story elements. The two main young couples could be combined into a simpler single Romeo and Juliet romance. It would allow the DACA story to have more space to breathe. Despite all the hot young things, the most emotional song is Abuela's powerful life story. I do like the visual of Vanessa running down the empty street with the fabrics flowing down the buildings. I don't know if it's possible but Vanessa may be too beautiful. I would have liked for Nina's college drama to be shown. The emotional climax is really Abuela's song and the DACA protest. The movie drags on a bit long after that although that is a fine ending. The main theme of this movie is dream which does present a minor problem. By itself, it does not give that much kinetic energy to the story. Everybody is just pining for money (from the lotto) to make their dreams come to life. All in all, I love quite a bit of this even if it is long.