In the Heights
— A large and talented cast embraces spirited choreography, and music and lyrics with Lin-Manuel Miranda's imprint. There are plenty of “big” numbers where cameras pull out for long shots and dancers are everywhere, as well as tender scenes where only a few people captivate. For me, the film was halfway done before the story kicked into high gear and we could really begin to appreciate ideas of heritage and legacy, of fitting in and retaining your culture, of dreams and destiny and your place in the world, of grabbing hold and letting go, and of where and what home is. There’s a lot of spirit and nostalgia in the production and the sense of the Latino community in Washington Heights transfers to the viewer. Once again, watching with captions helps since stories—and lyrics—overlap and sometimes seem to move in hyper-speed. During one number, when a singing and dancing duo suddenly was dancing up the side of building, I couldn’t help but think they’d gone a little too far with unnecessary effects but mostly I was happy with the production. No matter what, the film presents a struggle for belonging and acceptance in a way that gives us all some sense of the pride, despair, love, and uncertainty that are part of the struggle.
[HBO Plus streaming.]
