Rebecca’s Take
There are few directors who can be trusted to take a beloved film musical and remake it, keeping the heart and spirit of the original intact while putting their own stamp on it. But few directors are like Steven Spielberg.
Tackling the remake of 1961’s “West Side Story,” which won 10 Academy Awards – including Best Picture – is a lot to live up to. The ambitious endeavor presented the ultimate passion project for one of the best directors of all time. With his love of film shining through, Spielberg rises to the challenge.
After being delayed a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, “West Side Story” finally hits the big screen – and it’s so much more than a remake. The electrifying musical is a new interpretation of the acclaimed original that is both faithful and refreshing. In some respects, it’s even better. With its gorgeous filmmaking, timeless music, commitment to representation, and diverse and talented cast, Spielberg’s “West Side Story” is one of the year’s best films.
Based on the mid-1950s stage musical, “West Side Story” follows two gangs fighting for control of the streets in New York’s Upper West Side, shaken up by a “Romeo and Juliet” inspired romance. The Jets, made up of white teen boys of Polish, Italian and Irish descent, spar with the Sharks, Puerto Rican immigrants, as their neighborhood faces demolition. Emotions run high when Tony (Ansel Elgort), a Jet who was recently in jail, and Maria (Rachel Zegler), whose brother Bernardo (David Alvarez) leads the Sharks, meet at a dance and fall in love.
With the danger of gentrification closing in, Jets leader Riff (Mike Faist) and Bernardo agree to a rumble for ultimate dominance. But there’s more at stake as Tony and Maria’s forbidden romance threatens the lives of those around them.
Sixty years after the original film, “West Side Story” is still the story you know, but different. Under the masterful Spielberg’s hands, the film blends the old and the new. It keeps the legendary music by Leonard Bernstein and heartfelt lyrics by the recently departed Stephen Sondheim. But Spielberg’s version rearranges the order of songs, puts them in different settings, and gives some songs to different characters to sing – and it all works. Justin Peck’s energetic choreography pays tribute to Jerome Robbins’ dance movements from the stage play and original film. The changes stay true to the heart of the story. At just over two and a half hours long, the new version is nearly the same length as the original but adds scenes to flesh out its characters.
Bathed in vibrant hues, “West Side Story” transports moviegoers back to a different time. The beautiful film looks like it was shot in the same rich Technicolor as the musicals of Hollywood’s Golden Age. Janusz Kaminski’s stunning cinematography contrasts the bright bursts of color nestled amid the individual homes against the decaying neighborhood. Spielberg plays with light and shadows, showing characters coming together from different sides of the tracks. The director’s love of film transfers to how he frames his characters.
When Tony and Maria see each other for the first time, striking lens flares illuminate their faces across the dance floor. As the two sing “Tonight” during the nighttime balcony scene, apartment lights punctuate Tony’s romantic climb up the fire escape, and the moon shines down on Maria’s eager face. Later on, “Tonight” takes on a different meaning as the film’s main characters sing the tune wistfully before that night’s fateful rumble, with excellent editing between five different locations culminating in a powerful moment.
Some of the musical’s songs fare better in their new locations. The spirited “America,” featuring a patriotic declaration of the American dream by Bernardo’s feisty girlfriend Anita (Ariana DeBose), moves the dynamic dance sequence from the rooftop at night in the original film to the city streets during the blazing morning sun. The thrilling number shifts the focus from the male-centric Jets and Sharks to the dress-shaking women of the neighborhood. The hopeful ballad “One Hand, One Heart,” which Tony and Maria sing about their wedding vows in the bridal shop where Maria works in the 1961 version, changes location to the Cloisters, a medieval museum that looks like a church. The quiet reverence of the space allows Tony and Maria to reveal their vulnerability to each other. In contrast to the original, Maria’s enthusiastic announcement of love in the bubbly “I Feel Pretty” comes after a life-altering event instead of before, adding a new layer of tragedy to her situation.
The most important change the new “West Side Story” makes is casting Latino actors in Latino roles. Spielberg’s decision addresses the 1961 film’s problematic casting, which featured mostly non-Latinos, including its star Natalie Wood, who played Maria. Back then, the actors who played the Puerto Rican characters also had to wear dark makeup, including best supporting actress winner Rita Moreno, despite being a Latina herself. The new version allows Latino actors and actresses to tell their characters’ stories, showing that representation onscreen matters. Tony Kushner’s thoughtful script also features more Spanish dialogue – and without subtitles. Using their native language makes the scenes between the Sharks feel more authentic.
In prioritizing authenticity, “West Side Story” brings together a phenomenal cast. Moreno makes a glorious return in a new role written just for her. The acting legend, who won the Oscar for her incredible performance of Anita in the original film, steps into the shoes of Valentina, the widow of Doc, who runs the pharmacy where Tony works. Moreno, who just turned 90, appears as effervescent as ever among the film’s youthful cast. In a change from the original, her character sings the haunting “Somewhere,” providing a new context.
In her film debut, Zegler proves herself to be a star in the making. The Colombian-American actress taps into Maria’s naivete and innocence, but is also capable of doing the emotional heavy lifting the role requires. Her sweet chemistry with Elgort comes across immediately onscreen, making the pair believable as star-crossed lovers. Zegler’s lovely soprano voice shows its strength against DeBose’s lower register when the two square off in the dueling “A Boy Like That/I Have a Love.”
As the vivacious and sultry Anita, DeBose emerges as a force to be reckoned with. The Afro-Latina actress draws upon her experience from “Hamilton” and “The Prom” to steal almost every scene she’s in. DeBose runs the gamut in emotions, exuding confidence and playfulness to downright despair and fear. During the film’s most difficult scene, the dynamo holds her own against Moreno, who played the very same role six decades earlier.
Now let’s turn to the guys. “West Side Story” features great performances from the actors on the opposite sides of its gang battles. Elgort shines as the conflicted Tony. The new film makes Tony a former convict, adding a layer to the character that the 1961 iteration doesn’t have. The sensitive Elgort deftly portrays Tony’s struggle between light and darkness as the Jet tries to distance himself from his past while reluctantly being pulled back into the gang lifestyle. As Riff, the terrific Faist thrills as the Jets’ tough and rebellious leader. The actor looks like he just walked out of the 1950s, with a chip on his shoulder but a fierce loyalty to Tony. Alvarez’s Bernardo gets a backstory – he’s not just the leader of the Sharks, but a boxer as well. But apart from receiving a profession, the character doesn’t make as big an impression as best supporting actor Oscar winner George Chakiris’ version does in the original film.
The new “West Side Story” embraces inclusivity, affirming the transgender status of a character in the 1961 film. Portrayed more as a tomboy in the original, Anybodys works diligently to join the Jets, but is derided at almost every turn. The character is played in the new version by Iris Menas, a nonbinary Broadway actor. The film’s embrace of the character’s identity is a huge step for acceptance and acknowledgment of the LGBTQ community.
In redoing “West Side Story,” Spielberg achieved the impossible: The esteemed director made a film that’s just as good, if not better, than the original. It’s the same story, but told two different ways – and they’re both masterpieces. And to boot, it’s one of the best movies of the year.
Beautifully shot, thoughtfully told and exquisitely acted, the new version is just as powerful and resonant as the 1961 film, with the same music loved by audiences for decades. The commitment to authentic casting makes the film better and shows respect to its audience.
If you’ve seen the 1961 version, the new film serves as a great companion piece. If you haven’t – you’re really in for a treat here. The movie makes a good double feature with this summer’s dazzling “In the Heights,” a celebration of Latino culture in another New York neighborhood. Though the gangs in “West Side Story” were divided, here’s hoping the Academy Awards nominations reveal a unified front for supporting the film across the board.
4.5 out of 5 stars
Joe’s Take
Having not seen the original film or the stage play, I came into “West Side Story” without background on one of the most revered musicals of all time. While I can’t tell you how the 2021 film stacks up to the original 60 years later, I can tell you it proves excellent on its own.
What scared me going into the movie, besides it being a remake, was the length. Rebecca and I had seen a string of two and a half hour films. Some justified their length, while others had me checking my phone for the time. “West Side Story” kept me engaged throughout as Steven Spielberg does a masterful job keeping characters and the camera moving. There’s always some sort of action during the mostly fast-paced film.
I appreciated the film’s storytelling the most as it doesn’t explain everything that’s happening through dialogue. It shows the audience. And who better to visually tell a story than Spielberg? The opening sequence is incredible, with essentially one word of dialogue in the first 10 minutes. The sweeping, long-take scene boasts excellent choreography and expert filmmaking that shows the audience the conflict between teenage gangs, the Jets and the Sharks.
There are plenty of other incredible sequences, the most memorable of which involves four set pieces with different songs that happen simultaneously and interweave together and culminate in an awesome shot of the Jets and the Sharks’ shadows moving toward each other and growing. The costume and production design capture the time period as the vibrant colors keep the film lively. The movie looks gorgeous throughout with beautiful cinematography. It also portrays the small scope well. Although there are plenty of settings, the proximity of the gangs always keeps the tension high.
The film also proved very inclusive. One of the cool parts was when the Latino characters spoke, it wasn’t always in English. It was also in Spanish, and Spielberg didn’t provide subtitles. I really liked this because the sequences proved more natural. I learned that not much stuck in my head from the four years of Spanish I took in high school. However, the beauty of the film is that you didn’t have to understand the language in order to understand what was being said. It added to the film’s show don’t tell mentality. The film also includes nonbinary actor Iris Menas to portray transgender character Anybodys.
Ariana DeBose (Anita) and Mike Faist (Riff) shine brightest in a mostly stellar cast. DeBose, an actress from “Hamilton,” goes toe-to-toe with David Alvarez, who plays her boyfriend and leader of the Sharks Bernardo; the Jets; and Rachel Zegler (Maria) in a powerful sequence. She commands the screen with a booming voice and incredible dancing. She also shows her versatility in many scenes with different tones. Faist captures the look as the leader of the Jets. I really enjoyed watching his strength on the outside and vulnerability on the inside. In a lot of scenes, through body language, the audience can see he’s scared but knows he can’t show it. He’s the leader and a leader can’t show weakness. Faist has a heartbreaking scene he absolutely nails.
The only thing that didn’t work for me was the Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria relationship. Characters need time to build chemistry and Tony and Maria fall in love within 30 seconds of seeing each other. Elgort and Zegler do have natural chemistry, especially during the fire escape scene as the duo sings “Tonight,” but it’s still too quick. Also, the Tony and Maria scenes slow the film down. Everything happening around them is much more interesting. Furthermore, Elgort is fine in the role, but it would have made sense to cast an incredible singer in the role instead. Everytime Elgort and Zegler have a duet, Zegler sings him out of the room.
Although I never saw the original, I knew most of the songs as I’ve heard them over the years. I imagine many audiences can also enter this movie without seeing the original and have some sort of familiarity with it. Also, watching “In the Heights” before “West Side Story,” I could see the inspiration the Lin-Manuel Miranda creation took from the 60-year-old musical. While I like “In the Heights” more than “West Side Story,” it couldn’t happen without the classic and award-winning film.
Spielberg crafted one of his best films since 2015’s “Bridge of Spies.” While I haven’t seen the original, this iteration is very good. It has the spectacle expected from a Spielberg film with incredible choreography, vibrant sets and phenomenal camera work. The acting, singing and dancing prove strong for the most part. My main issue is unfortunately the main characters. I don’t entirely buy their affection for each other because it didn’t have long enough to develop. Although I like Elgort in most films, he’s a bit miscast here and can’t hold a candle to Zegler’s singing talent. Otherwise, “West Side Story” is an incredible watch for so many reasons.
4 out of 5 stars
Originally Published: