About the film (courtesy of Warner Bros.):
The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is the likeable, magnetic bodega owner Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines and sings about a better life.
Many of us, myself included, only learned of the insanely-talented c when his Broadway hit, Hamilton, burst onto the scene back in 2015. Much in the way that these Founding Fathers of America paved the way for the future now in which we live, the musical’s mainstream success paved the way for Miranda’s lesser-known (relatively speaking) In The Heights to jump from the stage to the big screen in a proper film adaptation.
Miranda hands the reins off to Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians (2018)) who has gained a reputation for making fun films that feature amazing visuals. His work on In The Heights is just confirmation that Warner Bros. made a great choice in bringing Chu in to do what he does best. Filled with stunning visuals, great casting, a solid story and crisp choreography, this production makes for a perfect marriage for what’s required to create a breathtaking masterpiece.
Lin-Manuel Miranda has to be all smiles with the performance Anthony Ramos gives in the lead role of this surprisingly emotional film. Taking centerstage looked to be a breeze for the Hamilton-alum. The key to In The Heights is its multilayered story with many subplots that play out over just a few days. An important piece to that puzzle is surrounding yourself with a talented cast. Melissa Barrera, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Jimmy Smits, Olga Merediz, Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco and Daphne Rubin-Vega are a few of the fine people that help bring this story together. Marc Anthony and another Hamilton-alum, Chris Jackson, have small, but important roles to play.
Obviously, the music gets high marks across the board with heavy Latin high-energy vibe sprinkled with a hip-hop tone that meshes perfectly. If you’re unfamiliar with the music of In The Heights, the 143 minutes in which you’re glued to your seats, you’ll become quite enamored and will most likely want an encore performance in the coming days. And speaking of the runtime, be sure to stay through the very end of the credits if you don’t want to miss anything.
Choosing between the stage performance of Hamilton (available on Disney+) and the In The Heights film is like trying to identify a favorite child as a parent. While they may have their own uniqueness, strengths and weaknesses, you still love them with your whole heart. That’s the way I feel about the brain children of Lin-Manuel Miranda. The great thing is that he’s proven that he’s no one-trick pony and I, for one, can’t wait to see what’s next.
For now though, in living in the moment, I highly recommend seeing the emotionally engaging In The Heights for its compelling story, magical music performances and eye-popping visuals. Be a part of the multi-heritage celebration in theaters and streaming exclusively on HBO Max starting Thursday, June 10th. This does feel like the movie of the Summer!
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