It’s difficult to imagine a time before Lin-Manuel Miranda. In the last decade, he has soared to worldwide acclaim, mainly due to the astronomical success of Hamilton, his biographical account of the life and times (and eventual death) of founding father Alexander Hamilton, all told through an urban kind of musicality that became a worldwide phenomenon. However, most will know that before he ascended to such esteem in the industry, Miranda crafted In the Heights, his first major success, and the musical that brought attention to him as a burgeoning young musician and playwright. This musical, based on Miranda’s own experiences as the son of immigrants, raised in the mean streets of New York City, which he cites as giving birth to his lifelong admiration of humanity, as well as inspiring his music, a quality he shared with playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes, with whom he collaborated on the story a particular New York neighbourhood and its residents. It’s often a sign of contrarianism to consider In the Heights the superior musical, but there is a reason a small but vocal movement is forming around this idea – it’s a personal testament to a world Miranda could attest to based on his own experiences. Over a decade since its premiere on Broadway, In the Heights has finally been brought to life in the form of a film adaptation, and while it is very important to note how this is not a perfect film by any means, it’s incredibly entertaining, and has the right amount of heart and soul needed to breathe life into the astonishing story of a “block that was disappearing”, and the people who populated this particular part of New York City, the occupants of the titular Washington Heights, which gave birth to a world of possibilities and served as the basis for many ambitious thoughts to fester and become true through hard work. It’s an enchanting film, filled with the magic that only a thoroughly captivating musical can provide, and functions as nothing more than a reliable, well-made drama with a lot of heart, which is exactly what the material required when translating it from the stage to the screen.

In the Heights is a perfect exemplification of what a good stage-to-screen adaptation should aspire to be – adhering to the principles of the core work and staying true to its message, while naturally taking advantage of the bigger platform afforded by the medium. He may not be the most established director yet, nor is he one that necessarily exudes the concept of being an auteur, but John M. Chu has proven himself to be a very reliable director, particularly in crafting well-made blockbusters that align themselves with the central tenets of a particular genre, but don’t neglect to have an abundance of soul. His biggest success to date is his adaptation of Crazy Rich Asians, a similar kind of worldwide hit that set in motion a dedicated campaign to pay attention to Chu. In many ways, he was a natural fit for Miranda’s musical – as was the case with his previous film, he took an established entity, and transformed it into a massively entertaining film that keeps audiences captivated, while still staying true to the spirit of the original. There was a lot at stake when it came to bringing In the Heights to the screen – it was a cherished work that many devotees of stage musicals absolutely adored, and it was the first legitimate claim since his recent ascent to fame for Miranda to prove he wasn’t a one-trick pony (even if In the Heights predated it). For the most part, Chu succeeded – there isn’t really anything more that could be done with this material, and even the most paltry aspects of the film couldn’t really be resolved, even with a more established director at the helm. The problems we encounter are not part of the film, but rather ingrained in the text, which makes each individual reaction to In the Heights all the more interesting, since our enjoyment hinges almost entirely on how we engage with the message at the core, rather than the filmmaking itself. It’s a solid effort, and pays effective tribute to the original musical, reminding us that the most simple approach is often the most meaningful.

There are two components that are almost universally applicable to most successful musicals, both of which are embedded in the fabric of In the Heights, which implies that it is going to age a lot better than most would imagine it, at least in contrast to many recent musicals that are more focused on capturing the zeitgeist as opposed to saying something more meaningful. The first is that the film focuses on a central theme, which guides most of the story. In this case, it’s the concept of sueñitos (“little dreams”), which serves as the main motif throughout the film, and the idea that binds the characters together and gives them reason to have their stories told. Everyone has ambitions – some of them as enormous as moving to another country, others occurring on a smaller scale, such as earning a college degree. Regardless of the specifics, each one of us carries these dreams with it, which serves as the foundation for In the Heights, which focuses on a few characters doing whatever they can to achieve it. There is a constant reference to the lottery, which nearly every character we encounter takes part in, in the hopes that they will manage to earn enough to get out of this neighbourhood and realize their dreams. Many of these conversations conducted throughout the film tie back to the general idea of the immigrant experience – most of these characters are either first-generation immigrants, or children of people who lept into the unknown in the hopes of starting their lives, succeeding in achieving their own sueñitos. There’s an interesting comparison to be made between this idea, and the hackneyed but wildly popular concept of the American Dream, which Miranda seemed to be actively pursuing when putting this story together – and the deep conversations that are evoked only add to the nuance that we encounter throughout the film, creating a wonderfully genuine sense of hope, which is needed now more than ever, especially as the discourse around the world is very much focused on immigrants, or “Dreamers”, finding hope and sanctuary in the proverbial Land of Hopes and Dreams. It’s a beautiful message, but one with a lot of depth associated it with it, which is never once lost in the beautiful story composed by Miranda and Hudes. 

The other quality of a great musical exemplified by In the Heights is that this is not a story solely focused on one particular theme, but rather casts a wider net over some broader discussions. Throughout the musical, we’re transported to this particular block in Washington Heights, where the majority of the musical takes place, which hearkens back to the kind of story that is intent on capturing the spirit of a specific location, and serving as a testament to the people who live there. Washington Heights is an unremarkable place in theory – it’s just another area in the extensive metropolis of New York City – but throughout In the Heights, we’re led to believe there is something special about it, a kind of magical quality that makes it such an endearing place. This isn’t anything to do with the locale or the architecture – it really looks like any other place in the city. Instead, it’s derived from the people who live there, and embedded throughout In the Heights is a seemingly endless galaxy of lives, with an abundance of unique stories presented to us, each one distinct and detailed, with Miranda and Chu ensuring that everyone is given attention to have their particular story nurtured. This leads to In the Heights functioning as a vivid tapestry of the world, told through the lens of about a dozen characters, each one of them unique, and played with conviction by their respective actors. Whether it be Anthony Ramos and Corey Hawkins, two young actors that are far from obscure, but finally prove that they are the indelible talents of their generation, or newer faces like Leslie Grace and Melissa Barrera, who are clearly very gifted and are likely going to become major stars in their own right as a result of their stunning performances here, or even the wonderful Olga Merediz, reprising her role as Abuela Claudia from the stage production, showing that sometimes the best interpretation is the original. In the Heights is a musical built on the idea of the human experience, so it’s reasonable to say its success hinges on how it portrays the lives of these characters – and the entire ensemble of this film is incredible, elevating the material and making it something truly special.

Credit must be given where it’s due, and while a lot of what makes In the Heights special comes from the themes at the core of the original musical, we need to acknowledge precisely how effective the process of bringing it to the screen was, and how this is far more than just a cheap attempt at recapturing the spirit of the original musical. Along with his consistent involvement in the production, Miranda once again recruits Hudes, who is tasked with writing the screenplay, not only updating it to include slightly more contemporary references (which are imperative, considering how this is very much a film with a firm grasp on the current socio-cultural pulse), but making sure that the magic of her original writing is once again present in this production. Chu is a very assured director – it’s clear that he started his career in a music-related genre, since his ability to capture movement is incredible, and he places emphasis on the paralinguistic signals we send out through body language, showing how it’s not only the words that convey meaning, but also the more subtle cues associated with motion. This mindset is paramount when making a musical, especially one as focused on setting a particular mood through the use of an ensemble as In the Heights. A great deal of effort has been put into curating a very particular vision of Washington Heights, with the visual splendour allowing us to surrender to the exuberance of the film around it. Contrasted with the oddly serious tone in terms of the actual narrative, there is a clear sense of duality present throughout this film, which really benefits from such an approach, since it never adheres to a strict, singular model of storytelling. Perhaps this is giving too much credit to Chu, especially since a lot of the success of In the Heights comes in the form of the choreography (kudos to Christopher Scott, one of Chu’s oldest collaborators who worked with him on the two Step Up films he directed), as well as the production design that transports us to this particular block. However, Chu was there to shepherd this production in a coherent direction, and considering the breakneck speed at which Miranda’s work normally moves, the fact that he managed to not put a halt on this energy, but rather harness it effectively, proves how this material was in truly solid hands when it was handed to the director.

It may not break any boundaries, nor be especially complex in execution, but In the Heights is a solid film, and a worthwhile entry into the canon of musical adaptations. It has its heart in the right place, and clearly has nothing but undying respect for the people it represents. It may veer towards heavy-handed at times, especially towards the midpoint, where it comes close to collapsing into the more downbeat aspects of the story, but for the most part, it is relatively entertaining, bringing out the emotion in between moments of genuine exuberance, with Chu finding the perfect balance between the theoretical underpinnings and the eventual act of putting it all into practice. He’s a divisive figure (and in some ways, it may even be deserved), but Miranda is clearly here to stay, and while he will forever be memorialized for his creation of Hamilton, it’s not a stretch to imagine that his most meaningful work to date is In the Heights, not only for the personal connection he brings to the conversation, but how he is fully-intent on representation as opposed to self-indulgence, which is a remarkable quality that lends an enormous amount of pathos to this story, and elevates it far beyond just a simple New York-based musical. It’s a charming and very funny film, but with genuine depth and a lot of heart, which only makes it all the more impressive, since there is always something to talk about in relation to the story. A solid cast, some terrific music (many of these songs rivalling Miranda’s later work), and a beautiful sense of self-awareness are all enough to push In the Heights to the very top in terms of recent musical adaptations, since even at its most imperfect, its heart and soul keeps it afloat, and allows it to be a fervent, endearing celebration of a myriad of diverse lives, and the stories that come with them, and deserve to be told.