A Feet Stomping, Musical Event Worth Falling In Love With (In The Heights)

We haven't had a proper musical to watch on the big screen since Cats and that was an unexpected dumpster fire no one saw coming even if Jennifer Hudson's performance for 'Memory' and the inclusion of the Taylor Swift and Andrew Lloyd Webber collaboration for the original song 'Beautiful Ghosts' were the only scenes worth remembering. I have never seen the broadway show but, Cats really caused expectations for musicals to drown. Nobody had this worry when In the Heights was announced to be adapted for the big screen especially since Jon M. Chu was directing it. With this musical known to be completely written by the musical genius himself, Lin Manuel Miranda made it enough to get people hyped for it... luckily, the hype is real.  

In the Heights is one of the best musicals I have seen in a while, even better than the Ryan Murphy helmed Prom musical that released last Christmas on Netflix. From start to finish, you cannot help but sing along even if you don't know the words and tap your feet to the infectious melodies and beats that flood your ears, making you realize the only way to really enjoy this film is by experiencing it in the cinema. Unfortunately for us Malaysians, we are still stuck in lockdown so, we had to settle with the screens we have at home to enjoy this definite hit. 

There is no flaw in this film from my first watch (Yes, because I plan to watch it again) except for the constant judgment musical films get about how it is unrealistic to start singing your feelings in the middle of the street. The soundtrack is extremely infectious and I cannot wait to keep it on replay on Spotify. Another thing to marvel at is the heart-stopping choreography. Every single move was on point and you can't help but join in the fun even if you live in a world where dancing that hard in public will turn some heads. Apart from that, a quality I am happy with is the romance that is featured in this film really makes it easy to root for instead of having the need to throw food at the screen like a lot of musicals that have tried to grace our lives and ruined romance for us. 

The film, like most musicals, does not stray away from strumming the right heartstrings at perfect moments and the goosebumps are inevitable - a little warning just in case you don't expect so many feelings to wash over you while watching this - making sure to leave audiences reasons to smile or cry for this relatable and loveable ensemble. Just another thing to notice when witnessing such a large musical is the large cast. There is no point denying that Anthony Ramos is a star. A cameo by Lin Manuel Miranda was great considering he played Ramos' character back in the broadway days just makes us fans oh so proud of how far a teacher can go to becoming a name to remember in the world of musicals. 

In the Heights is the film of the summer and I really hope people put their negativity aside towards musicals and really let themselves fall in love with this movie that seriously has the power to make this weekend a little better than you wanted it to be. It may not be possible to catch it in the theatres but it's available to stream anywhere to enjoy alongside your family.