As one of the many creations of Lin-Manuel Miranda, the most recent summer musical blockbuster “In the Heights” provides a tale full of fantastic music, heart and passion with every note.
Throughout 2021, movie companies have worked to release some of the films delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Warner Bros., and their new streaming service HBO Max, is looking to energize the film industry with one of their own delayed films: the movie adaptation of Miranda’s “In the Heights.”
Directed by “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon M. Chu, “In the Heights” stars singer-songwriter Anthony Ramos as Usnavi de la Vega. Usnavi is one of the many residents of the New York-based Washington Heights, a place with love and family around every corner.
The film gives us an everyday look into people’s lives in Washington Heights, highlighting many individuals who share the same dream.
The film features Corey Hawkins as Usnavi’s loyal best friend Benny, newcomer Leslie Grace as the “one who made it out” girl-next-door Nina Rosario, and the beautiful and driven Vanessa played by Melissa Barrera.
Joining the cast are also Daphne Rubin-Vega as Daniela, Stephanie Beatriz as Daniela’s girlfriend Carla, Dascha Polanco as Cuca, Gregory Diaz IV as Usnavi’s little cousin Sonny, Olga Merediz as Abuela Claudia, and Jimmy Smits as Nina’s father Kevin.
And the film features Miranda himself, as Piragüero, also known as “Piragua Guy.”
From an objective standpoint, “In the Heights” appears to be a great movie. It may not be as well-known as Miranda’s other projects like “Hamilton,” but it sure deserves a spot up there.
The movie combines the flair of Latinx culture and the dynamic roles of every character in the film and makes a stunning portrayal. Every character has a specific role in the movie and gives viewers a look into the lives of a block that was, in the film, “disappearing,” according to Usnavi’s narration.
The music and story in the movie are amazingly well-done. Every song was better than the last, with Ramos, Barerra, Grace and the rest of the cast making the music come to life on the big screen.
Highlights of the musical soundtrack include “96,000,” “Blackout,” and the opener “In the Heights,” which were epic showstoppers in and of themselves. Every melody had a beat that you could jam to, and the passion in each song made them worthwhile.
The best of the music, though, had to be the sorrowful and hauntingly beautiful “Paciencia y Fe,” performed by Merediz. Her voice had so much love and energy in this haunting melody that it made it a powerful farewell to the Abuela that shaped the characters’ lives in the pages of the script.
Another worthy standout had to be the farewell to the Abuela in “Alabanza,” which translated to “praise.” Every song made the movie stand out and acts as a labor of love dedicated to the Latino community.
Overall, this movie was going to be a summer success story. However, because of the pandemic and how COVID-19 changed streaming, the film never saw success at the box office, grossing a worldwide total of $43.9 million against a $55 million budget.
Most of the views of the film came from HBO Max streamers because of its “same-day streaming” program for their next blockbusters.
But the movie itself is a show-stopping musical full of heart and passion. The story it tells is about following your dreams, and it does so with every beat to every song. The movie itself reflects the culture of a group of people whose wish is to make the best out of their lives.
That is the message of the film. From start to finish, this is a work of true art. Fans of the original musical will love the movie, and new fans will walk in and find themselves dancing along as well.
“In the Heights” is available for purchase or rent online and from select stores and will return to HBO Max sometime later this year.
