In the Heights
Following up his 2018 hit Crazy Rich Asians, director Jon M. Chu once again turns his attention to a celebration of diversity and the human spirit in In The Heights. Based on Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit play of the same name, In the Heights transports the audience to Washington Heights in a critical summer of change and development. Taking a holistic approach to its storytelling, In the Heights bounces from individual to individual showing not just their dreams and desires but also the struggles and tribulations they face on the way.
Possibly the best piece of In the Heights is the world the film creates for the audience to live and breathe in for themselves. Serving as a character itself, the Washington Heights depicted within the film feels alive. It is impossible not to get transported into this hot summer setting and feel as if the world one is experiencing is real. One can smell the odors and even taste the sweat of this city which is built with personality and spirit. This sensation of authenticity and vivacity is equally felt within the characters that take up this space within the film. Each given a unique personality that both helps them stand out on their own while also contributing to the bigger puzzle which is the world of the film, the characters within In the Heights are not only enjoyable to be around but also carry enough soul and heart to actually stand as well-rounded humans.
Sadly, there are a few reasons why these characters never truly get to shine as much as they should. The first would simply be the performances behind them. Outside of Anthony Ramos, it is hard to find a single performance within the film that truly stands as that impressive or memorable. Across the board, the acting level is undoubtedly competent, however the film is supposed to be larger than life at times with its roaring emotion but it never felt like the actors were truly chewing on their roles as much as they could be. The other would be the film's screenplay coming from Quiara Alegría Hudes. In the Heights has a serious issue with its momentum. Jumping from character to character while taking a more holistic approach to its storytelling, In the Heights hopes to build a larger picture of the drama taking place within Washington Heights but this style of storytelling struggles to translate from play to film.
Similar to other adaptations such as Cats, this casual approach to structuring can lead to a sensation of nothing really happening, which can cause the film to drag especially with its longer 143-minute runtime. The film does attempt to remedy this by including the context of an upcoming blackout, but this event ultimately proves to be rather meaningless to the larger plot and thesis of the film making it a confusing choice to frame the movie around. The latter half of the film will also lose some audiences with its rather cliche and clean conclusions that can feel a bit unrewarding. For such a long film with so much going on, In the Heights sadly feels like it doesn't have much ultimately to say and any thesis the film is hoping to have struggles to be heard overall.
With that said, there are undeniably moments within the film that work. The songs are all enjoyable with some incredibly creative and well-produced sequences of dance that add a cinematic sense to Lin-Manuel Miranda's songwriting ability. In the Heights also serves as a wonderful celebration of diversity which needs to be seen within cinema. Where the plot might not be that deep, a large population of the audience will not only see themselves on screen but their community which is a rather beautiful thing. It is clear that even going back to the play version of the story, the heart and soul of this community and these individuals are rooted in authentic experiences which are felt. This is what helps the movie feel as alive and warm as it does. The hidden ingredient in all of this is the cinematography from Alice Brooks. Both cinematic and intimate, Brooks captures this world with a casual artistry which helps elevate the material while keeping it digestible to the audience who is supposed to resonate with the world shown on screen.
After a year of waiting and delay, In the Heights might not end up matching every expectation and is far from a masterpiece, but still overall feels like a success. The film offers the perfect summer musical fun that many will be longing for after a year of lockdowns and fear and on a basic level works as a form of escapism which ultimately is one of the major purposes of cinema. The film is fun and heartfelt, finding genuine emotion even if the overall project clearly could have been cleaned up and focused.
