Dana Barbuto|The Patriot Ledger
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Before “Hamilton” made Lin-Manuel Miranda a superstar, he took Broadway by storm with the Tony-winning musical “In the Heights,” a valentine to the vibrant, close-knit Washington Heights neighborhood he grew up in. A full year after its release was COVID-delayed, the movie adaptation finally hits theaters and HBO Max this weekend - and the song-and-dance spectacle is pure joy.
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On the heels of his celebration of Far East culture with “Crazy Rich Asians,” director Jon M. Chu lauds the Latin dynamic with a mix of heart, humor and humanity by way of love and a lottery ticket. Intent on not allowing the razzle-dazzle to outshine the story, Chu balances the sprawling, exquisitely choreographed dance numbers (thank you, Christopher Scott) with a firm narrative grip. Strip away the songs, and there remains a strong and affecting story about chasing dreams against all odds. It’s inspiring.
There are many subplots, but Chu and screenwriter Quiara Alegria Hudes, who wrote the book for the stage production, handle the various strings deftly. It’s abetted by a top-notch cast, starting with bodega owner Usnavi (you’ll love how he got that name) played by Anthony Ramos. He gets the movie started with an opening number setting the time and tone with vivid detail. In rhyme and beat synched to the ambient noises (locks, hoses, gates) of the awakening block, he relays his back story: Parentless Dominican immigrant with dreams of restoring his family’s hurricane-damaged home on the “greatest little” Caribbean island. He runs the shop and lives with his adopted abuela, Claudia (Olga Merediz). He loves Vanessa (Melissa Barrera), an aspiring fashion designer, but can’t work up the nerve to ask her for a date. Tongue-tied and twisted, he’s as awkwardly endearing as a 14-year-old whenever Vanessa is near. Usnavi spends most of his days watching out for his wise-cracking young “Dreamer” cousin, Sonny (a scene stealing Gregory Diaz IV).
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Then, we meet studious Nina, home for the summer from Stanford and struggling with returning to a school where she feels like an outsider, much to the dismay of her father (a terrific, Oscar-worthy Jimmy Smits), who’s leveraged his taxi business to pay tuition. Nina is about to reconnect with her hometown sweetheart, Benny (Corey Hawkins), who hopes to take over her father’s business. Then there’s the three salon ladies (Stephanie Beatriz, Daphne Rubin-Vega and Dascha Polanco) adding oodles of levity amid apprehension to relocate the shop because of high rents.
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Oh, and the whole block is in a tizzy because someone in the neighborhood bought a winning $96,000 lottery ticket. Who is the winner? All these storylines converge over a three-day stretch of scorching summer heat prior to a blackout that sends everyone reeling. “Since when are Latin people scared of heat,” one character observes.
Miranda, who played Usnavi on Broadway, has a small role as the piragua (shaved ice) guy, but his influence is felt in every frame. The movie gets its power from its strong sense of place and cultural identity. The script features many Spanish phrases, foods and customs. People gather at Abuela Claudia’s house to play games, sing, dance and eat. The music ranges from hip-hop to rap to ballads to show tunes. Miranda’s popular songs –"It Won't Be Long Now," "Breathe," "Paciencia Y Fe" and "No Me Diga,"– play out in the city streets, sweaty back alleys and the hair salon. One sequence defies gravity as Benny and Nina dance up the side of a brownstone, ala Fred Astaire. The showstopper, the upbeat "96,000," a song fantasizing about winning the lottery, is an aquatic extravagance reminiscent of Busby Berkeley, full of pastel-colored inner tubes and 90 dancers splashing in-sync. Welcome to the neighborhood. It was worth the wait.
Movie review
IN THE HEIGHTS
(PG-13 for some language and suggestive references.) Cast:Anthony Ramos, Melissa Barrera, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Jimmy Smits, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco, Gregory Diaz IV. In theaters and on HBO Max on June 11. Grade: A
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Reach Dana Barbuto at dbarbuto@patriotledger.com.
