Lin-Manuel Miranda’s, “In The Heights” has finally hit the big screen. One of the films that should have come out before the pandemic, but got delayed and if you are a fan of the musical, then it has been worth the wait. The great thing about any musical that gets turned into a film is you’re able to do more with your set and I think the best part about this film is it really showcases the neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York. I almost think that is the best character of this story. It’s a good movie in a lot of ways and has an incredible cast. There’s no denying that. But what this film as well as the stage musical really is a love letter to the neighborhood that Lin-Manuel Miranda grew up in. I’m not saying that it’s a bad thing, but this is also the same kind of story that can be told in any community. I very much like the film. As a fan of musicals, I am always a little picky when they try to transform a great musical into a movie, sometimes it’s hit or miss and then sometimes they surprise you. In The Heights is a great representation of the stage musical, much like how the movie West Side Story was a great representation of its stage musical. From the sets to the atmosphere, you feel like you are in Washington Heights, so on that note they did a great job.
The cast does an incredible job with the music and you are for the most part transported into the stage musical Itself. The choreography is phenomenal and I think in a lot of ways are able to do more with it with actually being on a film set compared to being on a stage even though it may not be as intimate. But what really makes this film great to watch is if you don’t know anything about the Washington Heights neighborhood and how it is a true melting pot of Dominican Republican Immigrants along with Irish and African-American, you really feel like that you are there and you understand their everyday problems. But this film isn’t perfect just like the stage musical isn’t perfect.
This is where I have my criticism of the story and don’t get me wrong, I am not saying don’t watch it, if you’re a fan of musicals then it is a must see, but it is also predictable. I don’t know if there really is anything original about this story except to the people who are from Washington Heights, like I said it’s a great love letter to that neighborhood and it’s great to have a musical showcase that. However, this is still a story that can be told in any poor neighborhood in any city where the true essence of that neighborhood is the community that faces the same struggles and sticks together. The problems the characters face aren’t original. The only thing original to this musical and the movie is the music itself and the neighborhood for which it is set in. There are a lot of familiar tropes in this, but it doesn’t take away from the performances of the cast or the music itself. And when it comes to Lin-Manuel Miranda, pretty much anything he is going to do is going to be great. I mean it’s hard enough taking over a chimney sweeper character that was originally played by Dick Van Dyke in the original Mary Poppins, but Lin-Manuel Miranda almost did it flawlessly in Mary Poppins Returns. What I am saying is this story and the film itself seem very familiar and you may get a sense that you’ve seen this story before, but then again maybe that’s okay because isn’t West Side story really just Romeo and Juliet with poor immigrants in a New York neighborhood!
And, that’s why I won’t say this is a horrible film, but it also can’t be a fantastic film at the same time. If you love Lin -Manuel Miranda and anything he does, then check out In The Heights. If you love musicals, then watch this film because really the best part and the heart of this story is him showing you where he came from and why this neighborhood represents pretty much any poor, but thriving community in America. It can very easily be the Treme neighborhood in New Orleans. The movie may not be perfect, and it may not be original, but that doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy it. It’s worth checking out! And the mark of any great music is music that gets stuck in your head, which will easily happen when you watch In the Heights.
