Streaming Service: Disney+
Movie Name/Year: West Side Story (2021)
Genre: Crime, Musical, Romance
Length: 2h 36min
Rating: PG-13
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Tony Kushner, Arthur
Laurents
Actors: Ansel Elgort, Rachel
Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Rita Moreno, Brian d'Arcy James, Corey
Stoll, Mike Faist, Josh Andrés Rivera, Iris Menas, David Aviles Morales,
Sebastian Serra, Ricardo Zayas, Carlos E. Gonzalez, Ricky Ubeda, Andrei Chagas,
Adriel Flete, Jacob Guzman, Kelvin Bryan, Carlos Sanchez Falu, Julius Rubio,
Yurel Echezarreta, David Guzman, Sean Harrison Jones, Jess LeProtto, Patrick
Higgins, Kyle Allen, John Michael Fiumara, Kevin Csolak, Kyle Coffman, Daniel
Patrick Russell, Ben Cook, Harrison Coll, Garett Hawe, Myles Erlick, Julian
Elia, Tanairi Sade Vazquez, Yesenia Ayala, Gabriela Soto, Juliette Feliciano
Ortiz, Jeanette Delgado, Maria Alexis Rodriguez, Edriz E. Rosa Pérez, Ilda
Mason, Jennifer Florentino, Melody Marti, Ana Isabelle, Gaby Diaz, Isabella
Ward, Eloise Kropp, Paloma Garcia-Lee, Leigh-Ann Esty, Lauren Leach, Brittany
Pollack, Kellie Drobnick, Skye Mattox, Adriana Pierce, Jonalyn Saxer, Brianna
Abruzzo, Halli Toland, Sara Esty, Talia Ryder, Maddie Ziegler, Andrea Burns, Mike
Iveson, Jamila Velazquez, Annelise Cepero, Yassmin Alers, Jamie Harris, Curtiss
Cook
IMDb Blurb: An adaptation of the 1957
musical, West Side Story explores forbidden love and the rivalry between the
Jets and the Sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.
Selina’s Point of View:
The original West
Side Story (1961) is a classic. Generations grew up watching the Romeo
and Juliet retelling and filing it away as one of their favorite
movies ever. Considering the time in which it was created, as well as the
subject matter, there are some problematic aspects to the original. That made
it a great choice for remaking.
I’ve always said there
is a place for remakes in our cinematic landscape. Admittedly, more often than
not, remakes and reboots can be gratuitous attempts at cash grabs. In the case
of West Side Story, Steven Spielberg’s involvement (specifically as
director) speaks volumes. Although he’s produced a few questionable sequels and
soft reboots, he hasn’t bothered to try and direct any of them. I’m guessing
that’s not the kind of thing he wants his name stamped on so prominently.
The first West
Side Story had some issues with casting. A lot of white actors were
cast as Puerto Ricans and brown face was used in order to make the racial plot
work. It’s not something most people hold against the film, because it was a
product of its time. However, that left things wide open for someone to bring
it into the next century. There are minimal negative feelings toward the
original along with an opening of the mind to a new cast.
Keeping the script and
the songs as close to the 1961 version was a good idea. A lot of the settings
changed, and the cinematography was updated, but the whole thing felt familiar
and right. The writers added a deeper reason for the Jets and Sharks to be
battling, for instance. The racial aspect is still center stage, but now the
film goes further into the gentrification of the area. That fear of being
evicted in order for condos to be put up is a familiar one in a lot of
neighborhoods – speaking as a New Yorker.
Then there’s Rita
Moreno’s new part.
No one was going to be
able to outperform the legendary Rita Moreno as Anita. That’s just a fact. That
said, she’s not in a position to recreate the part herself. In the
original West Side Story, she was iconic. Part of why the movie is
so good is because of her Anita portrayal. So, they opted to create a whole new
part for her – and I think it was a fantastic addition. It added more to Tony’s
story, and the extremely tense scene near the end was made that much better by
her inclusion in the aftermath. (If you know, you know.)
Despite having to fill
such big shoes, Ariana DeBose did an amazing job. I thought I’d be missing
Moreno the whole time, but there were really only a few very short parts that
brought my mind back to her predecessor. That might be an insult for a different
film, but in West Side Story, I assure you that no one could have
done better.
Ansel Elgort wound up
being a pretty decent Tony. I was worried about him. I can blow a little hot
and cold on my interpretation of his work, and I was just hoping this would be
on the warmer side. He must be a fan of the original, though, because he brought
it together. David Alvarez also brought Bernardo back to life in a way that his
predecessor didn’t.
The standout for me, and
this may be a hot take, was Rachel Zegler. I thought she was better than
Natalie Wood. Putting race completely aside, I simply thought Zegler was the
better actor. The final scene of the 1961 version is tense and terrifying. There’s
a pit of dread that grows throughout Maria’s monologue and it leaves you in
your thoughts. In this new version of West Side Story, it’s
straight-up ugly-cry inducing. You still get that pit of dread in your stomach,
but the sense of sadness is so much more palpable.
I don’t think a remake
of West Side Story could get any better than this. It was
phenomenally done, and it’s a prime example of what films should be remade, and
how to do it.
Cat’s Point of View:
West Side Story is one of those tales that has become
an indelible part of musical theater – and, I dare say, our culture in general
- in a profound way. There are many that have not seen the Broadway production
or prior cinematic treatment, and yet are familiar with the music and general
story premise.
I, for one, am among those that had never experienced this
re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet before via stage or screen. The music,
showcasing the lyrical genius of Stephen Sondheim (1930-2021) and the music
compositional brilliance of Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990), has been something I’ve
encountered throughout my life. The songs have popped up in the most expected
places – take “I Feel Pretty,” for example. Parodies or different
versions of the song have appeared in productions such as Sesame Street
(1969-), Friends (1994-2004), and even The Simpsons (1989-).
I digress…
It was high time that I remedied this hole in my knowledge
of both cinema and musical theater via their convergence with this remake. It’s
been on my ever-growing to-watch list since its announcement, after all. As
soon as I learned that this remake of West Side Story was a passion
project for Steven Spielberg (War Horse, Ready Player One, The Fabelmans),
I was sold. The combination of such a classic story, wonderful music, and my
favorite director was a convergence impossible to ignore.
This retelling of West Side Story was everything I
hoped it would be and then some. It was superbly cast, impeccably shot, well-choreographed,
and given the respectful treatment that such a classic deserved. It showcased
its relevance in the modern day with our widening societal divides just as it
did in its original runs while racial tensions were also at a boiling point.
West Side Story is exactly as I imagine it would
appear in my mind, had I imagined the Broadway story taking place in the real
world instead of a theater stage.
I’d go so far as to say that this version of West Side
Story has cemented itself as a modern classic, and I’d give it a firm
recommendation to anyone that enjoys musicals or musical theater.
Rotten Tomatoes Critic
Score – 92%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience
Score – 93%
Metascore – 85%
Metacritic User Score – 7.1/10
IMDB Score – 7.1/10
Trust the Dice: Selina’s
Rating – 5/5
Trust the Dice: Cat’s
Rating – 5/5
Movie Trailer:
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