Review 629: West Side Story (2020)

 

It can't measure up to the original 1961 classic but Steven Spielberg's West Side Story is a tour de force remake featuring some expertly crafted musical numbers and two charming lead performances.

In 1957 Manhattan, two rival gangs the Sharks and the Jets, fight for control of San Juan Hill on the Upper East Side. Against this backdrop, teenagers Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler), despite having affiliations with the gangs fall in love.

The basic plot is the same as the Robert Wise classic but what Spielberg very well is give the film some poignet social comentary; It doesn't shy away from adressing rasicm against the Sharks and the Jets and the fact that the Sharks are imigrants from Porto Rico isn't glossed over. It's this topical social commentary that enhances the experience.

I was initially very skeptical of this remake of West Side Story (even with the enormously talented Steven Spielberg at the helm), the original was one of a kind. How could it possibly work? Well it does very well spursprisingly thanks to some truly unobtrusive musical numbers, two very charming lead performances from Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler and a topical screenplay by Tony Kushner (who previously worked with Spielberg on Munich and Lincoln).                                                                                          Impressively, this new West Side Story isn't updated for modern times nor is it shot-for-shot. Instead, it adds the historical context of the slum clearence the New York Government on the West Side in the 50's in order to build the Lincoln Center Performing Arts complex and luxuary flats and the effects on imigrants.

Steven Spielberg's direction is magnificent, bringing a lushness and a sense of scope  the cinematography is  lensing the San Juan Hill neighborhood in desaturated the production design is  the films depiction of Manhattan is a grimey  and the costomes are colourful and vibrant ranging from bright yellows and reds to

Ansel Elgort is incredibly likeable and charasmatic playing Tony. Elgort also brought a likeable charm to the role whilst channeling the passion and

Rachel Zegler is lovely as Maria, but doesn't quite come into her own as a movie star. I missed that adventurous spirit that Natalie Wood brought to the role in the 61 version. Zegler's Maria is just too fearful

Billy Elliot's David Alvarez is  playing Bernardo, Maria's sister. 

Broadway veteran Mike Faist is a stand-out playing Jet leader Riff. In this version, Riff is

Ariana DeBose is a force of nature playing Anita, girlfriend of Bernardo, Maria's sister. She gives the character a genuine presence that makes her feel like an integral part of the story even when she isn't on top of being a really good dancer. 

Corey Stoll is brilliant playing Lieutenant Schrank, there's something particularly nasty about how his keeping the two gangs from killing each other is all so that he can have them displaced once the Lincoln Center is built. 

Rita Moreno (who previously played Anita in the 61 original) is  Valentina, an original character created for this movie as a stand-in for Doc

4.5/5.

The Anonymous Critic.