In the Heights

There’s a lot of talent to be found in this refreshing Hollywood musical: singing, dancing, rapping, break dancing, tricks with sparklers, and even twisting double-jointed arms! Part of what makes this adaptation of the Tony-winning musical work so well is how the studio brought back cast members from the original stage production and combined them with fresh faces. Another part is how the clever cinematic tricks take advantage of the two-dimensional cinematic medium, doing all that can’t be done on stage while choreographing the irresistibly fun songs. These tricks include symmetrical aerial shots of a swimming pool party, illuminated costumed dancers in a train station, gravity defied on the wall of a building at sunset, and cold light that sparkles during a blackout.

The dense, almost overwhelming spectacle is a strong demonstration of how grand Hollywood musicals can be nowadays as compared to eighty or even ten years ago. Instead of prioritizing household names that can’t sing or dance like what other musicals have done for as long as sound has been a part of cinema, everyone in this cast can sing and dance extraordinarily well. It also doesn’t stumble into the trap of existing just for the purpose of showcasing the singing and dancing skills of a certain celebrity, like what films throughout the Golden Age of Hollywood had done. In the Heights instead has a clear, distinct purpose behind its story about representation.​

PG-13 (DLS)
Musical
2 hr. 23 min.

Watch it for FUN.
Watch it to feel HAPPY and SAD.