Lights up on Washington Heights. And not just a Broadway stage designed to look like it—this is the real Washington Heights, where the film adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s stage musical was shot on location. In the Heights (Jon M. Chu) lives up to its name. In the film’s opening number, Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) introduces us to his neighbourhood, and the tight-knit community within it, through an effervescent song which ends with the whole block dancing together on the street, showing quickly that this adaptation is not afraid to go big and use the entirety of Washington Heights as its stage. From the big dance numbers with hundreds of extras to close-ups on small details that bring cultural depth to each location, as well as flashbacks and visual effects, the film doesn’t shy away from trying things that aren’t possible on stage.
Like its stage musical counterpart, In the Heights follows bodega owner Usnavi and his friends and family in Washington Heights during a summer heatwave as they all cling to their dreams while watching their neighbourhood change around them. Usnavi dreams of moving back to the Dominican Republic to reopen his father’s beachside bar, but doesn’t want to leave his loved ones behind—in particular, his younger cousin Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV), the neighbourhood matriarch Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz), and his love interest Vanessa (Melissa Barrera)—who all have their own dreams, and reasons to stay in New York. We also meet Usnavi’s best friend Benny (Corey Hawkins), who is hoping to reconnect with his ex-girlfriend Nina (Leslie Grace) while she’s home from Stanford for the summer, while he also works for her father Kevin Rosario (Jimmy Smits). The film adaptation makes some changes to the original musical, expanding on the plotlines for Sonny and Vanessa, and updating the story to focus on current immigration issues. In addition, a lot of the spoken dialogue is different from the stage version, along with the removal or rearrangement of certain songs, which affects the narrative in some places.
Even with these changes, In the Heights remains recognisable as a Broadway show through its musical numbers. While most musicals written for the screen have songs following a verse-chorus structure typical of modern pop songs, this adaptation’s Broadway soundtrack means that many of the songs, especially the bigger numbers such as the opening and the ‘Blackout’ sequence, have breaks for spoken dialogue, musical and lyrical motifs rather than choruses, and spectacular climaxes with overlapping lyrics that make it impossible to sing along (as hard as I may try). To measure up to the grand scale of the musical numbers, the film employs elements of magical realism, with each song getting its own style of captivating visuals. These moments bring Washington Heights to life, and perhaps even elevate the film above the original Broadway musical.
Of course, these big musical numbers would be nothing without the incredible cast performing them. Anthony Ramos shines in the lead role of Usnavi, his musical talent and charisma keeping the energy high from start to finish. Olga Merediz also stands out in the smaller but just as important role of Abuela Claudia, which she originated on Broadway. Just as Abuela guides the neighbourhood with her strength and wisdom, Merediz offers the same guidance to her younger cast members as the matriarch of In The Heights. Her solo song ‘Paciencia y Fe’, in which Abuela reminisces about her journey as an immigrant, is incredibly moving and the emotional highlight of the film.
In The Heights is the perfect summer musical—you can even feel the heat, particularly in the impressive dance number at the neighbourhood swimming pool. Even if you’ve never felt the heat of Washington Heights, everyone will connect in some way to this story of love and hope. The uncynical film is bursting with song, dance, and vibrant visuals, making it worth a trip back to the cinema.
In the Heights is released in Irish cinemas on June 18.
