West Side Story is one of those special movies that comes along every once and awhile to reaffirm one’s faith in the modern film industry. It would be easy to look at the trailer for this movie and scoff: a remake of the beloved 1961 classic directed by Steven Spielberg, a Hollywood director with no experience in musicals? On paper, this sounds like a lousy cash grab, more alike to Dear Evan Hansen than In The Heights. And yet, against all odds, West Side Story surprasses both of these films; it is the best movie-musical since La La Land, a powerful, visually stunning experience that manages to feel not only like a necessity, but an improvement over the original. This is a wonderful movie, and without a doubt one of the best produced this year. 

From the instantly-recognizable first whistle of the overture, Spielberg has complete control over West Side Story. Any doubts of his ability to handle a musical are relinquished by the end of the first number, a ten-minute prologue that is able to both honor the original film while carving out a new identity for itself. The plot is, for the most part, identical to the first film: Tony and Maria, two lonesome teens who belong to enemy street gangs, fall madly in love, but their romance threatens to cause an all-out war between their families. The story, which is loosely modeled after William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, is not anything groundbreaking, but West Side Story finds immaculate success in nearly every field that the plot is rarely the focus.

The film is set in New York City during the 1950s, a time when massive changes were being brought about to the cityscape. It is no coincidence the opening shots of the film are of piles of rubble from once-standing tenement housing; the world around this film’s heroes is quickly disappearing, and Spielberg takes every chance he gets to point this out. He also does not shy away from difficult material; this is a significantly darker remake, putting more focus on the blatant racism and violence of this gang war that the original film brushed off. 

Speilberg also makes sure that West Side Story, much like the city its characters inhabit, feels alive, with the camera constantly turning and twisting throughout with the choreography instead of just capturing it. Throughout its whopping two-hour-and-36-minute runtime, West Side Story never has a dull moment, which is without a doubt due to the mastery behind the camera. 

Much like the original film, the show stopping number here is “America,” a crowded, sprawling explosion of expertly-choreographed dance and overlapping melodies. The song is led by Anita, played by Ariana DeBose, who is so excellent she is able to steal the film from a cast already brimming with talent. She alone is responsible for some of West Side Story’s most emotionally powerful moments, as well as some of its most exciting musical sequences, and there is a good chance she will walk away from this film with a well-deserved Oscar. 

DeBose is not the only standout either. Rachel Zegler is excellent as Maria; newcomer Mike Faist brings an impressive amount of energy to Riff, Tony’s shifty best friend; and Rita Moreno, at an astounding ninety years old, does fine work as brand-new character Valentina, adding a heavy layer of gravity to any scene she appears in. Ansel Elgort as Tony is, admittedly, a little flat, but this has little effect on the film overall.

Much like the original West Side Story, the ending here is rushed. After two-and-a-half hours of buildup to the climax, the resolution feels fairly empty, and it is a little upsetting that a film this excellent ends on a mildly sour note. West Side Story is not a perfect movie, but like all musicals, it is not about achieving perfection; it is all about those triumphant high points, transcendent moments when musicians, actors, and filmmakers achieve a rare, perfect balance. And these moments in West Side Story, of which there are many, are more than just the high points of the film – they are the high points of filmmaking this past year. 

News of West Side Story’s disappointing opening weekend is, well, disappointing, and if this trend continues, there is a good chance it could go down in history as a box-office flop. I urge American film viewers to not let this happen. It is rare that I recommend a film to everybody reading my review, but it is also rare that a film this thoroughly enjoyable is made. 

Go see West Side Story. I will leave it at that.

★ ★ ★ ★ ½ 

4.5 out of 5 Stars