in-the-heights

When news broke that Lin Manuel-Miranda was leaving Hamilton to adapt Quiara Alegría Hudes, ‘In The Heights,’ for stage and then she was hired to readapt it as a screenplay, it seemed like a Moonshot. Hamilton was such a runaway success and by that time, he had written the music for Moana and promise of a modern Uptown love story musical, has had people waiting with baited breath for this.

Teaming up with Jon M. Chu, director of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ who knows how to shoot a dance sequence, his first film was Step Up 2: The Streets, and he cut his teeth with the League of Xtraordinary Dancers. How does the film live up to those expectations? Fairly well.

The story of ‘In The Heights’ follows Usnavi, played by Anthony Ramos, (the name and etymology borrowed from “The Dirty Girls Social Club” by Albuquerque-based, Alisa Lynn Valdes), running his family’s bodega in the ever-changing Washington Heights.

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He has had a crush on Melissa Barrera’s Vanessa since they were kids, with his little cousin Sonny (Gregory Diaz) and Cab Dispatcher Benny (Corey Hawkins) they navigate one of the hottest weeks of the year while the news and radio warn, like a Greek Chorus of a possible blackout, which occurs later in the show.

The core cast share the story with their friends, family, and neighbors with Lin-Manuel Miranda reoccurring as the neighborhood snow-cone street vendor. And with life in a big city, some stories end, and others face new beginnings.

While the film is beautifully done, and a gorgeous cast it does feel lacking in some ways, how relatable are the problems of people whose lives take place within a square mile and a half? The vibrancy of the music and cast make up for some of the lulls, but the film does feel a little overlong, but it’s hard to tell what fat to trim.

Mark Anthony has a silent and intimidating turn as Usnavi’s cousin and father to Sonny, the singer’s wiry frame and tattoos, paint him in a dour light. Some of his best acting and he doesn’t utter a word. The film’s ending, is nice, but not entirely satisfying, as the finale twist isn’t entirely earned, just reframes the beginning and muddles the movie’s message. 

This isn’t the kind of movie to watch on an iPad in a waiting room or on a plane, this should be the kind of movie where people will dance in the aisles. It’s a celebration of all that life has to offer, its ups and downs. 

Watch the first 8 minutes here

About “In The Heights”The scent of a cafecito caliente hangs in the air just outside of the 181st Street subway stop, where a kaleidoscope of dreams rallies this vibrant and tight-knit community. At the intersection of it all is a likable, magnetic bodega owner who saves every penny from his daily grind as he hopes, imagines, and sings about a better life. In the Heights fuses Lin-Manuel Miranda’s music and lyrics with director Jon M. Chu’s storytelling to capture a world very much of its place, but universal in its experience.

In the Heights stars Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace, Melissa Bareera, Olga Merediz, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Gregory Diaz IV, Stephanie Beatriz, Dascha Polanco, and Jimmy Smits.

The “In The Heights” musical debuted Off-Broadway in 2007 before going to Broadway,’s Richard Rodgers Theatre where it played 1,184 performances. In addition to Best Musical, In the Heights earned Tony Awards in 2008 for Best Original Score, Best Choreography, and Best Orchestrations while also being a finalist for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

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“In the Heights” was filmed in New York, primarily on location in the dynamic community of Washington Heights. It is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Find out more about this film or watch on HBOMax now playing online and in theaters!

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Stephanie is the founder and Executive Producer of RCR News Media, Panic Afterwards Productions, and Mingle Media TV Network (MMTVN), an online media and digital entertainment company, an interactive media digital entertainment destination featuring entertainment news, celebrity interviews along with Movie and Television news. MMTVN is also a YouTube partner, with a channel in the top 1% of viewership. Stephanie is also a voting member of the Television Academy in the Interactive Media and Producers Peer group, a member of the New Mexico Women in Film as well as a voting member of Film Independent (Spirit Awards).