In the Heights Movie Review: Your New Musical Obsession 🎶

In the Heights is a vibrant and fun musical movie about a predominantly Latino community in Washington Heights, New York. It tells stories about immigrant dreams, finding purpose, and the importance of community/family. Washington Heights is a neighborhood in New York that might be overlooked by tourists and mainstream media, but is nonetheless filled with wonderful people and big dreamers. This movie is an adaptation of the award-winning musical of the same name. I love how it brings attention to the musical that put Lin Manuel Miranda on the map way before Hamilton. And to be honest, I probably would never have become obsessed with the songs in this musical if not for this movie experience. Although nothing can beat a live theater experience, I’m so glad I got to fall in love with the story of In the Heights in this way. If you are a fan of musicals, this is a must-watch!

I think this movie is addictively entertaining to watch (and rewatch!) because the musical numbers are incredibly well-crafted. The director, Jon M. Chu, and choreographer, Christopher Scott, worked together before on dance-centered movies (i.e. Step Up sequels). Their shared experience and  expertise in creating epic dance numbers for the big screen really shows. There’s always an element of excitement and surprise to every number, from the bolts of fabric raining down from buildings in “It Won’t Be Long Now” to the insane dance sequences at the pool in “96,000.” 

I loved watching Anthony Ramos as the main character, Usnavi, and many people might already have a soft spot for him as an original cast member of Hamilton. While Usnavi helps introduce the musical and the main characters with the opening number, In the Heights is ultimately a celebration of an amalgamation of different personalities. Some of my favorite moments were the ones between Benny and Nina. I’m a sucker for romance, but their songs together were some of my favorite moments in the movie, from the music to the entire execution of the choreography. I also loved the salon ladies for the fun and rambunctious humor they brought to the story. In the Heights is not exactly narratively mind-blowing - it’s more of an experience of watching musical numbers expertly jump to different musical numbers. I thought the ending was cute, but also a rushed happily ever after.

I think this movie is really awesome for its portrayal of different characters and engaging visuals. On one hand, I think that the casting did something right with not casting major A-list Hollywood stars into the main roles. Rather, it focused on casting people who had the vocal ability and personal experience to deliver on these stories. On the other hand, I also really appreciated reading into some of the controversy about casting and the lack of Black Latinx characters in the main cast (Vox article). While I no doubt enjoyed this movie wholeheartedly and think that the main cast did an excellent job, I think it’s important to understand where the controversy is coming from and how we can continuously be on the lookout for ways to improve for the future.

In the Heights is the perfect summer movie to watch and have a good time with. Every scene is vibrant with color and personality, and the songs are so, so good. With multiple main characters dealing with different plot lines, the story might feel a bit scattered, but the focus on community never goes away. Highly recommend for everyone!