REVIEW - 'West Side Story' (2021)

If we were to say ten years ago that in ten years time we’d be living in a golden age of musicals, we would be proved very much right. The saying of you wait for a bus and then three come along has never been so right in 2021. We had two musical movies from the cultured mind of Lin Manuel Miranda, “In the Heights” and “Tick Tick Boom,” and now we have the highly-anticipated retelling of “West Side Story.” The original film adaptation — released in 1961— is a beloved classic and was the recipient of ten academy awards, including ‘Best Picture.’ Fans of the original film and Broadway versions would argue whether a remake of a perfect film is necessary; but once you have Spielberg behind the camera, it makes it a cinematic event you shouldn’t miss.

‘West Side Story’ Upgrades its Casting for the Times

With this adaption being released in a new age, it comes leaps and bounds from the original, which was a mostly white-washed version. In Speilberg’s vision, only actors with Latino backgrounds play the Puerto Rican characters. Also, given the budget and Spielberg’s name attached to the project, they are able to create amazing dance numbers for iconic songs such as “America” and “Cool.” The production and costume design really shines here. Speilberg films “West Side Story” in iconic New York locations; this differs from its predecessor, where musicals of the golden age were never filmed outside a sound stage.

This version, like the 1961 film, contains some stellar performances from relatively new stars in the industry; and in the case of Rachel Zeglar, complete unknowns. With Rachel, she plays the iconic role of Maria who was originally played by Natalie Wood; the latter faced criticism for her ethnicity, where this version celebrates it with Rachel being of Colombian heritage. Zeglar has never done a film before, and is more known for being a YouTuber posting videos of her singing in her bathroom and in high school musicals — one being “West Side Story,” where she played the role of Maria.

The stand out performances for me come from Ariana DeBose and Mike Faist, who are already famed for their Broadway work in “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Hamilton.” Ariana has big shoes to fill in this, as the role of Anita is beloved by fans and critics as Rita Moreno famously won the Academy Award for ‘Best Supporting Actress.’ However, she excels in this role and in this version Anita doesn’t shy away from bringing up issues of colorism and racism within her own Latino community and how it affects her perception of the world.

Bringing Back Rita Moreno in Style

A scene from Steven Speilberg’s “West Side Story.” (Photo: Niko Tavernise).

When talking about this character, we cannot but mention that the original Anita is back; Rita Moreno works as an executive producer and in a new role created especially for the film. DeBose and Moreno share one of the most intense scenes in Spielberg’s remake: when Valentina catches the Jets assaulting Anita inside her store. In interviews, the stars of the film found that scene very bizarre; it was the new and old versions meeting, and a special moment for fans of the original film.

As stated, the original won ten Academy awards, and the new version is set to sweep at this year’s Oscars; this is particularly due to Spielberg’s direction and the supporting performance of DeBose.

Few films have ever won more Oscars than the 1961 film; now, six decades later, might “West Side Story” manage to pull off the same feat once again? The film is very impressive for being Spielberg’s first attempt at a musical. And additionally, given the recent passing of its famed lyricist Stephen Sondheim, this makes the film a perfect storm of nostalgia and novelty, making the new “West Side Story” a must-see.