Being a Latino (I’m Cuban American) and a cinephile has often led to a mixed bag of emotions towards the art form I love. I adore film and its impact on my life and society as a whole. With that same passion comes a frustration over the lack of Latinx representation in Hollywood.
I believe that our moment to shine has arrived with Jon M. Chu’s In The Heights. Rich with Latinx pride, it’s a joyful cinematic experience full of love, music, and celebration of community and life. The film honors our heritage in a way that would make our Abuelos and Abuelas proud.
Now, what’s it about?
In The Heights, based on Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 2008 Broadway musical, tells the story of Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), a bodega owner with big dreams and a difficult decision to make regarding his store in Washington Heights. Will he stay in New York trying to live out and attain his American Dream or retire to the Dominican Republic?
There’s so much that works with the film, but what makes In the Heights so unique and similar to Miranda’s Pulitzer prize-winning work on Hamilton, the film has a driving pulse of Latin-American rhythms while blending familiar hip-hop, rap, jazz, pop, salsa, and merengue beats to create a musical experience that may go unmatched this year, The film erupts in the most impressive musical opening number unseen since 2016’s La La Land. The scene introduces the audience to an extensive gallery of critical characters and places them within a vividly tight-knit community.
Director Jon M. Chu stays true to his directing style – a big, bombastic opening scene and subsequent musical numbers showcase the Heights’ residents as they dream of what they would do if they won the winning ticket of a $96,000 lottery. My favorite scene was “96,000” at the Highbridge pool.
The heart of the film is ultimately in its performances and ensemble cast. The ensemble is stellar throughout and Chu and this ensemble get it right. Quite frankly, its most crucial element is the audience feeling as though they are welcomed into this small tight-knit community and have become one of its members by the film’s conclusion. They succeed because it’s hard not to root for anyone from this brilliant cast.
Led by Anthony Ramos in a star-making performance as Usnavi, he delivers a charismatic breakout that adds to the film’s cultural celebration. For the doubters that wondered whether Ramos had the chops to match Lin-Manuel’s Broadway performance, they can take a back seat because Ramos shines bright.
Along with Ramos, the performance many will leave theaters talking about is Olga Merediz. Merediz, who is no stranger to the role as she portrayed the town’s Abuela on Broadway, is full of life and positivity that will ring true to all who all had Abuelas who would be our rocks and push us to do better. There is no denying that the masses will fall in love with Merediz, and I, for one, will be pushing as much as I can that she lands a Supporting Actress nomination at next year’s Academy Awards. She’s that good, and her solo number (“Paciencia y Fe”) is indeed set to bring tears, so get those tissues ready.
I’m highlighting Leslie Grace’s performance as it will run true for many of us Latinxs who feel the pressure of succeeding not only for ourselves but for our families’ whose constant sacrifices provided us with the opportunities to strive and do more. As an only child raised by a single mother, I first hand saw the sacrifices made by my Cuban mother, which allowed me to become the first in my family to graduate college – a gift that will never go unappreciated.
On the technical side of things, the production design and Alice Brook’s cinematography are sheer delights. She brings life to the scenes in the Heights and not only evokes the sense of community mentioned before but turns Washington Heights into a character in its own right, and one of the film’s key components.
Will it translate to a nomination next season? Who knows, but it certainly will go down as some of my favorite cinematography of the year.
In The Heights is a masterclass of representation done right. It’s a fun, energetic, and deeply compelling ride that will be the theater event of the summer and one, if not the most, crowd-pleasing event of the summer blockbuster season.
