Tribeca 2021: ‘In The Heights’ Film Review | The Tribeca Film Festival kicked off its 20th year on Wednesday night with the film everyone is talking about, In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s epic nod to New York’s Latin community, Washington Heights. Eight simultaneous outdoor screenings of the film were held around New York City and the 5 boroughs. This new classic film, directed by Jon Chu, is an epic musical and visual production adapted from the Tony award-winning musical by the same name produced and created by New York’s own Lin-Manuel Miranda. Miranda also created the mega hit Broadway musical Hamilton.
In The Heights is long (2 hours and 23 minutes), but goes by quickly, if you like musicals, with its high energy and young cast. Every second is packed with music, dance, color, tense moments and happy times. The moving love story lights up the screen and tells the story of young Washington Heights bodega owner Usnavi, played by Anthony Ramos (“Hamilton,” “A Star is Born”). Usnavi hopes, imagines, and sings about leaving the city and traveling to the Dominican Republic, the Island of his father, in search of a better life. The film also stars Corey Hawkins (“Straight Outta Compton”), Leslie Grace (“Super Junior”), Melissa Barrera (telenovela- “Siempre Tuya Acapulco”), Olga Merediz (Broadway’s “In The Heights”), Gregory Diaz IV (“Vampires vs The Bronx”), Dascha Polanco (“Orange is the New Black”) and Jimmy Smits (“NYPD Blue”, “The West Wing,” “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith”).
Woven within a story about a vibrant Hispanic community, is a love story. And woven within that love story is a story of four young people discovering their dreams and desires. We watch as they each come to realize what their dreams could look like in reality and see them begin to work toward making those dreams come true.
Highlights of the film include beautiful scenes of the streets, along with sparkling sunsets and shots of the George Washington Bridge that overlooks the community. The production was shot entirely on location in and around Washington Heights before COVID shut the entire city down. The hard-working people of the Heights were impacted by the pandemic, but this close knit network of families, a mix of Dominican, Puerto Rican, Mexican and Cuban, pulled together and helped each other get through it. The film made its way to the big screen just as the city reopened.
In the Heights is a visual tribute to hard-working and unseen Hispanic people, who struggle daily to make a life for their families in this tough city and in every city across the country, during these turbulent times.
If you like musicals, whether you’re a New Yorker or not, you will enjoy In the Heights, but please make sure to see it somewhere where the seats are comfortable enough to sit in for 2 hours and 23 minutes.
In The Heights is in theaters now and available on HBO Max.
DIRECTOR: Jon M. Chu
PRODUCER: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Quiara Alegría Hudes, Scott Sanders, Anthony Bregman, Mara Jacobs
SCREENWRITER: Quiara Alegría Hudes
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Alice Brooks
EDITOR: Myron Kerstein
CAST: Anthony Ramos, Melissa Barrera, Leslie Grace, Corey Hawkins, Olga Merediz, Jimmy Smits
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