Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong
Having to wait a full year to see the Steven Spielberg remake of the classic WEST SIDE STORY has been frustrating to say the least. I was salivating to see triple Oscar-winning Director not only tackle his first time helming a Movie Musical but also see how he and Screenwriter Tony Kushner (Angels in America, Lincoln) would address some of the racial insensitivities portrayed in the original version. And, on a purely selfish note, as a rabid Stephen Sondheim fan, any chance to see his work on a big screen is cause for celebration; more so now due to his recent passing.
As the Movie’s release approached, I became increasingly wracked with apprehension. Since WEST SIDE STORY’s Broadway debut in 1957, so many of its songs entered the fray of immortality with interpretations from Artists as musically diverse as Barbra Streisand, Bernadette Peters, Jeremy Jordan, Josh Groban and especially Natalie Cole, Patti Labelle and Sheila E’s kinetic gospel-inspired version of “America”. Can this Movie, sung by cinematic musical novices, compete with ingrained definitive versions? Jerome Robbins’ Choreography in the original movie (which won a whopping ten Oscars) is considered the benchmark of Dance, captured on celluloid. And lastly, how will Tony Award winner Justin Peck compete with this insurmountable Everest? As the lights dimmed in the theatre, I had one prayer: please don’t let this be another “Cats”!
Not only does WEST SIDE STORY exceed expectations, enhanced by the exceptional Cinematography from Janusz Kaminski, this exhilarating remake of a classic is sublime. For those unfamiliar with the story, WEST SIDE STORY is a musical reinvention of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” where Polish-born Tony (Ansel Elgort) sees Puerto Rican Maria (Rachel Zegler) at a dance in 1957 New York and it is love at first sight. Their romance only fans the fires of the turf war between rival street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, leading to its tragic conclusion.
There are two major differences between the two movie versions. Number one is that the placement of the musical numbers in relationship to advancing the story. Whereas the “I Feel Pretty” song felt like it was included in the original only due to its then popularity, in this version there is an added poignancy when it appears near the end of the Movie and is sung with hope and vibrancy without the characters knowing the tragic events that just occurred. Secondly, and most importantly, is the addition of a new character Valentina. As played by the very first EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony Award) winner Rita Moreno, the character brilliantly summarizes both cultural worlds, as a Latina having been married to a Caucasian.
WEST SIDE STORY offers performances that defy the confines of superlatives. The aforementioned Moreno succinctly captures the strength of her character with empathy and whereas I would enjoy seeing her win another Oscar for playing distinct roles from the same source material, this wouldn’t do justice to the phenomenal work from Ariana DeBose. Playing Anita, her performance is electrifyingly fiery and passionate which is enhanced by her unbelievable skills as a singer and dancer. As Bernardo (Maria’s overly-protective brother and Anita’s boyfriend), Montreal-born David Alvarez sizzles every time he is on-screen. His muscular dance style and flawless vocals are equally matched by Mike Faist who play Riff, the leader of the Jets. His somewhat slight physical stature belies his extraordinary skills as a Singer, Dancer and Actor. Ansel Elgort is saddled with an unenviable task of making a somewhat bland character ring true and still be responsible for singing songs that are deeply-entrenched now in musical history. His classic good looks, acting chops and strong singing voice met the challenge with aplomb and professionalism. And then there’s newcomer Rachel Zegler. What can I say of this recent winner of the Best Actress Award from the New York Film Critics Circle that isn’t yet another rambling of superlatives? Her soaring Soprano had the tears strolling down my cheeks moisturize my goosebumps. Her interpretation of Maria, a Sondheimian role requiring a range to convey naivety, determination, anger and sensitivity will go down in cinematic history as sheer brilliance. Zegler left me breathless.
And since we’re already breathless, let us mention the Choreography from Justin Peck had the same effect on me. Using Robbins’ work as a template and homage the dancing is equal parts sensuous and menacing. Kudos. Which brings me to the Script by Kushner which tackles the racially tinged story with finesse and insight and I enjoyed his take on the character of Anybodys – this time as a non-binary character versus being a Tomboy.
Ultimately all laurels must be placed at the feet of Steven Spielberg. Along with Kaminski, his version of WEST SIDE STORY is not only definitive, it is transcendent. It is inconceivable to me that this is the first time Spielberg tackled the Movie Musical and my fervent prayer that this won’t be his last. In the many years I have covered and written about Film, I had never heard hardened critics applaud at the end of a press screening. It happened when WEST SIDE STORY ended. It deserves a prolonged standing ovation.
20th Century Studios Canada release Steven Spielberg‘s WEST SIDE STORY in theatres December 10, 2021.
*Please exercise caution observing COVID-19 protocols if seeing this in theatre*
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