We have been ever so patiently waiting for this. From the day it was announced, everyone has kept their eyes on the calendar, and it’s finally here! From the Broadway stage to the silver screen In the Heights is in cinemas!
In the Heights is an American musical drama based on the stage musical of the same name by Quiara Alegría Hudes and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton). The film adaptation was directed by Crazy Rich Asians legend Jon M. Chu.
What’d I think?
From the very first shot I was met with vibrant, joyous and colourful energy that’s a feast for our eyes for the 2 hour duration of the film. Keeping to its roots, the film is full of musical fare. You see the traditional musical theatre numbers but with an added latin flair and touch of rap and hip-hop.
The performances from the cast keep you engaged and interested, through the lengthy film. While the storyline was incredible the breakout songs sometimes interrupted the flow of the story. The singing and dance numbers were superb and well choreographed, but some songs I found unnecessary.
Changing a stage show into a film can be difficult because you don’t want to take away from the storyline’s origin. While I did enjoy the story and cinematography, I feel like it was a bit of a struggle for the creators to find a perfect balance between stage show and film. Two numbers really stood out to me and were very enjoyable. I loved the opening song ‘In the heights’ and the ‘ Blackout’ scene. I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen as these were played.
In the Heights is a celebration of culture, community and life. It shows how we can find beauty and colour in everyday routines and mundanities. The characters are everyday people in the immigrant neighbourhood of Washington Heights. We get to see a glimpse into the sueñito (little dream) that each main character holds highly as they work to better themselves and reach their goals.
I enjoyed the film, my only critique is that it does get long and stretched out at times. If you have seen or know the stage show this film will go down a treat! The colourful and boisterous energy the film portrays, warms your soul and inspires you to live boldly . Its contagious energy will definitely capture audiences’ hearts worldwide.
4/5 stars
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Written by Sophia Ivory
Curly hair and she don’t care, this stylish babe plays by her own rules. With a love for dance and all things body positive, you’ll usually find her searching out the latest fashion trends and digging through local thrift stores. Word of warning, don’t bring your dachshund around her, she’ll want to keep it.
Check out her Instagram for all things goals! @sophiaivory
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