It’s finally here! The much-anticipated movie musical took 14 years to make its way from off-Broadway to the screen. Consider it an even longer wait if you count the show’s preliminary skeleton, a student production by Lin Manuel Miranda at Wesleyan University in 2000.
View this post on Instagram
The story follows a New York City neighborhood, and the threats of its disappearing identity. Not unique to Miranda’s work, the plot focuses on themes of self-erasure, anti-gentrification, and commercialization. The story begins with Usnavi, the musical’s narrator and runner of a local bodega.
He pines after Vanessa (played by Melissa Barrera), a hairstylist looking to escape her troubled life, become a fashion designer and find love. Other characters include Nina (Leslie Grace), a young girl who returns from Stanford, unsure about what her future holds, and Benny (Corey Hawkins) who works for Nina’s father.
The individuals in the community sing and dance in this glossy Broadway adaptation. Songs range from powerful ballads such as “Breathe,” to the show-stopping choreographed routines in “96,000.” With dance homages to legends like Fred Astaire, this electrifying theatrical experience is the perfect start to Summer.
Directed by Jon M. Chu, the dynamic story is backed with vibrant visuals and synchronous dance moves. Chu’s strategic camera work allows for the heavy presence of movement and livelihood.
In the Heights holds a unique release in comparison to other movie-musical predecessors. HBO Max users have free access to the film through subscription, and it is also now available to audiences in theatres. Having both a theatrical release and presence through streaming, it likely won’t have one of the bigger box office openings this year.
Indie Wire predicts that “It is expected to rank #1 this weekend ahead of Sony’s Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, with at the high end perhaps around where The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It landed last weekend ($24.1 million). But how well it does will provide important clues as to which audiences are returning and raise possibilities for a wider set of movies getting traction.”
Regardless of numerical success, the feel-good production is a must-watch this Summer. In the Heights celebrates family, love, where we come from, and the importance of community.
Have you seen it yet? Let us know @CelebSecrets on Twitter.
