ReelBob: ‘In the Heights’ ★★★½
By Bob Bloom
“In the Heights” combines the talents of composer-lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda and “Crazy Rich Asians” director Jon M. Chu to tell an uplifting story about dreams and the immigrant experience.
Considering all the contention and political rhetoric today about immigration in the United States, it’s a breath of fresh air that “In the Heights” is so optimistic and vibrant.
It also is a celebration of Hispanic culture, applauding the contributions and diversity of people whose traditions and backgrounds include the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba and other Caribbean and Latin American nations.
An air of optimism envelops this story of marginalized people who, despite their struggles in New York City, live life to the fullest and meet the challenge of each day with hope and fortitude.
The movie also deals with the pressures placed on younger generations by those who came to the country with nearly nothing and gained a measure of success to reach even higher than their parents and grandparents.
These people rejoice at living in America while also embracing their culture, history and traditions.
“In the Heights” also is about change — about a neighborhood losing its identity because of gentrification and outsider investments.
Most of all, “In the Heights” centers on hopes and desires. The focus of that thread belongs to Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), who runs a bodega and saves every penny so he can return to the Dominican Republic and reopen his late father’s bar that was destroyed in a hurricane.
His climb is a steep one because many obstacles lie in Usnavi’s path. He is torn between his yearning to leave, and his heart, which belongs to Vanessa (Melissa Barrera), who works as a hairdresser, but dreams of moving downtown to be a fashion designer.
The two face many challenges, but as the film is a musical, you expect a happy ending.
It’s not the plot that carries the movie, but Miranda’s upbeat and vibrant music, Chu’s kinetic direction and the dazzling choreography of Christopher Scott. The music has you swaying in your seat, while the dancing has you moving your feet along with the beat.
The supporting cast is just as strong, led by Leslie Grace’s Nina, who left the Heights for Stanford, but returns home because the reality of prejudice smacked her in the face at the school, and Corey Hawkins (Dr. Dre in “Straight Outta Compton”) as Benny, who works as a dispatcher for Kevin (Jimmy Smits), Nina’s father. Benny is Usnavi’s friend as well as Nina’s boyfriend, which complicates his relationship with his boss.
The heart of “In the Heights” is Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz), who is mother, adviser and comforter to most of the people in the tight-knit neighborhood. She and Usnavi are particularly close — he’s always looking out his Abuela.
“In the Heights” is a celebration, a welcome back after a horrific year that saw millions of us confined physically and spiritually by a pandemic that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.
The movie, while a bit long and light on story, is like a breath of fresh air injecting our hearts with joy and replenishing our lungs with laughter, love and, most of all, music that brighten the day.
I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. I review movies, 4K UHD, Blu-rays and DVDs for ReelBob (ReelBob.com), The Film Yap and other print and online publications. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com. You also can follow me on Twitter @ReelBobBloom and on Facebook at ReelBob.com or the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My movie reviews also can be found at Rotten Tomatoes: www.rottentomatoes.com.
IN THE HEIGHTS
3½ stars out of 4
(PG-13), suggestive references, language