In The Heights

 Long before he made the founding fathers sing and rap, Lin Manuel Miranda made contemporary New York dance and sing in his musical, In The Heights. It's now a big-screen musical adapted by its original librettist, Quiara Alegría Hudes, and directed by John M. Chu. It's ready to watch in theaters or HBOMax.

Usnavi de la Vega (Anthony Ramos) runs a bodega in Washington Heights, NYC. His eclectic neighbors include the neighborhood matriarch, Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz), Daniela (Daphne Rubin-Vega) the salon owner, taxi owner Kevin Rosario (Jimmy Smits) and his employee, Benny (Corey Hawkins), and Usnavi's cousin, Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV). Usnavi wants to return to his native Dominican Republic and to ask out Vanessa (Melissa Barrera). 

Vanessa plans to move uptown to pursue her little dreams (or, Suenito, as the film phrases it) of fashion design. Usnavi's dreams get a little easier when he learns he sold a $96,000 winning lotto ticket. Meanwhile, Kevin's daughter, Nina (Leslie Grace), drops out of college and returns home. She's also dating Benny. The neighbors' personal problems get worse when a blackout hits. 

The film isn't an exact replica of the stage musical. But I think it gets the original points across pretty well. Hudes textually alters her libretto into a naturally flowing screenplay. It discusses a few political topics relevant since its original inception, for instance. It's still recognizably the same story from back then. Its 143 minutes are somewhat slow, but let's talk about the aspects that make them zip by.

Usnavi and his neighbors are a great ensemble. Usnavi, in particular, is a likable lead with a compelling dream. He's a good neighbor and friend to the Heights. He never loses his drive or decency easily. Benny is a cool guy. Their relationships with Vanessa and Nina, respectively, are strong ones. Not easy, but still good. Abuela is a warm maternal figure for Usnavi and the Heights. You'll miss her when she's gone. Daniela and her fellow salon employees, Carla (Stephanie Beatriz) and Cuca (Dascha Polanco), are fun supporting characters. Miranda gives himself the role of a Piragua vendor, while Broadway's first Benny, Christopher Jackson, is his arch-enemy, the ice cream man. Their rivalry is pretty funny.

Meanwhile, Chu and his technical team envision a fantastical New York for Usnavi and Co. I don't just mean the massive and magnificent numbers choreographed by Christopher Scott. I also mean a city where Benny and Nina dance on an apartment wall like Fred Astaire. It's that kind of city. Editor Myron Kerstein and cinematographer Alice Brooks give perfect visual form to Miranda's energetic music and lyrics. The opening number, the city post blackout and Abuella's last number are visual highlights. Production designer Nelson Coates and Costume Designer Nelson Coates bring splendor to the Heights.

In The Heights is worth the one-year delay. It embraces the fantastical in the musical to tell a compelling story of neighborhood dreamers. I've already seen it on HBOMax, but maybe I'll see it on the big screen sometime soon. It's just that great. Stay tuned this year as Miranda will direct another musical, Tick, Tick … Boom and compose for Disney's Encanto.