In the Heights (2021)

Set in the sun-drenched streets of Washington Heights, In the Heights follows Usnavi, a likable bodega owner who saves every penny while daydreaming — and singing — about a better life back on his native Dominican island. Around him a close-knit, multilingual community pulses with color and rhythm: Nina, his childhood friend, returns from college with life-changing news; Vanessa, the beauty-salon worker, inspires Usnavi’s romantic hopes; and friends and neighbors each wrestle with ambitions, loyalties and the pull of home. Seeing the movie is an immersive sensory ride: Latin rhythms and Broadway-sized musical numbers fill sidewalks, rooftops and subway platforms, accompanied by kinetic choreography and warm, sunlit cinematography. You’ll hear cafecito steam, feel the energy of block parties and taste the bittersweet tension between pursuing personal dreams and preserving community ties. The film mixes humor, romance and heartache, building to moments that are both jubilant and quietly moving. Overall, In the Heights is an uplifting, emotionally rich musical about identity, family and what “home” really means — a vibrant celebration of immigrant life that leaves you tapping your feet, smiling, and thinking about the people and places that make a neighborhood yours.

Actors: Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace

Director: Jon M. Chu

Runtime: 143 min

Genres: Drama, Musical, Romance

6.6 /10 84 /100 7.3 /10 7.4 /10