This film has finally hit the big screen though unfortunately due to my inability to trust others being safe, I watched this in the safe comfort of my own home which I do feel diminished the big musical numbers but it still managed to be brilliant.
While this might be Lin-Manual Miranda's brain child, and though he originated the role on the stage, for the film, he had to relinquish the role to Anthony Ramos who was great as Usnavi, the main character who owns a bodega in Washington Heights (a community in the Bronx) though he longs to return to his homeland of the Dominican Republic. While Usnavi is pinching his pennies to afford his dream of re-opening his dad's bar in DR, there are a million other characters with their own dreams. Though Vanessa (Melissa Barrera) is Usnavi's crush, it is Stanford-bound Nina (Leslie Grace) who is really the second main character, a surrogate little sister for Usnavi. But while everyone is so proud that she succeeded, she found herself out of place in the ridiculously expensive Stanford and doesn't wish anymore financial burden for her father, Kevin (Jimmy Smits). Vanessa's dreams include becoming a fashion designer and getting an apartment downtown. Benny (Corey Hawkins) both wants Nina back and wants her to be happy. His dreams are blurry, which is unfortunate as Hawkins is great.
The matriarch of the gang is Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz) who without a family of her own, has adopted the block as her own. She's the heart and soul of the film. Everyone's dreams collide during the hottest days of the summer, thanks to Usnavi selling a winning lottery ticket and everyone sings about what they would do if they won. But everything gets upended when Abuela suddenly but peacefully dies, which forces everyone to re-evaluate their dreams, and everything does work out in the end. Vanessa finds her fashion inspiration again, Usnavi decides that after nearly two decades, Washington Heights is his home after all and the best years of his life have been here.
Certainly the cast is talented and the dancing brilliant, but there is one major flaw in the screenplay. Nina's tuition is due in June but the heat wave occurred in July so there is a teensy problem with the timeline and I know I'm nitpicky but these are the details that I cannot overlook. That being said, the film dealt with some serious issues with grace and the cast was packed wall-to-wall with talent and one that should be watched over and over again. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Gregory Diaz IV is Sonny, Usnavi's shadow who happens to be an illegal, brought as an infant, so he's a DREAMer.
-Lin-Manual Miranda is the guy who's selling water ice. Christopher Jackson (Washington from Hamilton, the Musical) is the Mr. Softee guy.
-It is bizarre seeing the big, elaborate musical numbers with millions of dancers when we're just getting out of the lockdown and pandemic.
-The musical numbers were easily the best part of the film and were brilliant and the editing was flawless.
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