A film version of the Broadway musical in which Usnavi, a sympathetic New York winery owner, saves every penny every day as he imagines and sings about a better life.
Lin Manuel-Miranda has done it again! While many of us were still reeling over the appeal of “Hamilton” pre-covid, we had no idea that “In the Heights” had already been birthed years before as a 2008 Broadway production and gone into an unforeseen hibernation that it couldn’t retreat from until the world was fully ready to appreciate this coming-of-age story reflecting Lin’s Latin roots. Based on a true story, this massive undertaking starts at the end and retraces its steps to the full story of how a little boy named Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), from Washington Heights, New York, tries to redeem himself through his father’s legacy while competing against the wishes of his family, the needs of his community and the reality of his own personal insecurities.
As the film opens, USnavi is gathered around a group of small children who seem very interested in the story he is telling about a little boy and his dream. While no relationship to the children is mentioned early on, their wide-eyed interest appears to indicate that it is very meaningful to each of them as each child listens intently to every detail. The story is of Young Usnavi, who runs a Bodega with the help of his younger cousin, Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV) and their main goal is to make a better life for themselves. Usnavi’s struggles also include convincing Sonny’s dad, Mr. De La Vega (Marc Anthony), that his son deserves more out of life than a father who wasn’t physically present or emotionally able to support him.
As the story builds with each of the characters, the community is focused on surviving the “Blackout,” which was a reoccurring event of unrelenting heat and hard times which the local community prided themselves in overcoming with every occurrence. Competing storylines included Usnavi’s inability to forge the relationship he wanted to have with his childhood friend named Vanessa (Melissa Barrera) and his other childhood friend Benny (Corey Hawkins), whose biggest job was to make Usnavi believe in his own destiny. Benny’s relationship with his girlfriend Nina (Leslie Grace), whose college dreams were stifled when she went away to Stanford University hoping to appease her proud father, Kevin Rosario (Jimmy Smits), only to be discouraged by the non-Latino students who made her feel as if she didn’t belong, was also a pivotal point in the story. Usnavi’s parents who were immigrants from the Dominican Republic made a lasting impression and his greatest dream was to return to his father’s roots to continue the prideful ownership he had with his business before he passed away. Navi struggles daily with going back to the Dominican Republic to fill the void his father left, and in the end, realizes that Washington Heights needs him most and that he can build on his parents’ dream while helping the community that surrounds him.
Director John M. Chu does an excellent job of working with actor/producer Lin Manuel-Miranda and the other five producers in bringing the Washington Heights story to life with vibrant characters and full exposure of Lin Manuel-Miranda’s Latino heritage. Every colorful song and dance that feature throughout the story is interesting, appropriate, and full of the pride of the culture. Adapting this story to film during these nearly post-pandemic times is also a great move so that more viewers can enjoy this musical masterpiece in every community that can appreciate its diverse perspective. In the end, the story comes full circle as Usnavi unites with the girl of his dreams, saves his own community, and directs the future of his lineage through the eyes of his own children.
In Theaters and on HBO Max Friday, June 11th
