Movies on the Mind

One important thing to know about me is that I absolutely love musicals. And one of my personal favorite musicals of all time is Hamilton, created by Lin-Manuel Miranda. I was lucky enough to see Hamilton on tour in Nashville last year before the pandemic, and I naturally watched the recording of the Broadway version when it released on Disney Plus. However, I’m not here to talk about Hamilton. I’m here to talk about Lin-Manuel Miranda’s other musical, which has just been adapted into a major motion picture.

In the Heights originally opened in Connecticut in 2005 before eventually coming to Broadway in 2008. It takes place in the New York City neighborhood of Washington Heights, and follows the everyday lives and struggles of several of its residents. The main character Usnavi (played by Hamilton alum Anthony Ramos) is a regular guy with big dreams, who feels trapped by his mundane big city life and longs to escape to his birthplace in the Dominican Republic. While Usnavi, his best friends Benny and Nina, and his love interest Vanessa are at the center of the narrative, the story is ultimately about the community of Washington Heights itself, and how its residents support one another during times of hardship.

Unlike the Disney Plus version of Hamilton, which is simply a recording of the original Broadway show, In the Heights is a full on film adaptation, which serves as both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. On the one hand, director John M. Chu is a perfect fit for this project. He provides a distinct visual flair and talent for choreography that brings the songs to life, especially the big show-stoppers and elaborate ensemble numbers. But on the other hand, the story of the film suffers as a result of its reduced run-time compared to a broadway show. Every film adaptation requires cuts from the source material, but here most of the cast feels underdeveloped. There are plenty of interesting characters, but none of them feel like they’re explored as well as they should be — even the motives of our protagonist Usnavi seem somewhat undercooked. The story has some impactful moments and engaging themes, but not nearly to the extent of Hamilton.

And finally, there’s the songs — the most important part of any musical. While they’re certainly not bad, the numbers in this film aren’t as consistently strong as the ones in Hamilton. It’s clear by comparing the two shows that Miranda had plenty of growth as a songwriter between the two projects. There are some standouts, like the catchy opening number, the visually striking “96,000”, or the heart-wrenching “Paciencia y Fe”, but more often than not, the songs in this film probably won’t be getting stuck in your head for weeks like Miranda’s later work.

Even so, In the Heights is worth a watch if you’re a fan of musicals. It’s incredibly well-directed, with some great songs and brilliant performances (even if much of the cast is underutilized). But most of all, it’s a compelling story of a group of dreamers who must choose between following their heart and supporting the people close to them. It’s no Hamilton, but there’s still plenty about it to love.