The IN THE HEIGHTS Film Adaptation Thread- Page 26

[teddy1996]

Posted: 4/16/21 at 11:32pm

jon m chu and lin teased daniela and carla’s relationship yet in this movie, their interactions didn’t really indicate that they are in a relationship

[InTheBathroom1]

Posted: 4/16/21 at 11:58pm

teddy1996 said: "jon m chu and lin teased daniela and carla’s relationship yet in this movie, their interactions didn’t really indicate that they are in a relationship "

Did you miss the first scene of the movie where they wake up in the same bed together and kiss?

[teddy1996]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 12:02am

it was a kiss on the cheek. that was one of the only implications about their relationship. i expected to see much more of their relationship.

Updated On: 4/17/21 at 12:02 AM

[gypsy101]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 5:33am

they’re bit characters mostly in the film but i got the relationship vibe from them the way they were hanging all over each other, plus literally sleeping in the same bed gives it away

[gypsy101]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 5:33am

they’re bit characters mostly in the film but i got the relationship vibe from them the way they were hanging all over each other, plus literally sleeping in the same bed gives it away

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 5:40am

Yup, I had no doubt. There was no story line needed.

[teddy1996]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 7:45am

one thing i didn’t like about the movie was how they reduced abuela’s storyline.

[teddy1996]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 7:45am

one thing i didn’t like about the movie was how they reduced abuela’s storyline.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 11:08am

teddy1996 said: "one thing i didn’t like about the movie was how they reduced abuela’s storyline. "

I actually feel she was showcased much more than in the stage version.  The way they expanded “Paciencia y Fe” into a lush visual production number, spotlighted Olga Merediz full-on whereas on stage she was a principal ensemble player mostly.  

[sherie_worshipper]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 11:44am

A lush visual production number that adds absolutely nothing to the storyline.

 

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It happens in her head while she’s dying, for Christ’s sake! She sings “and as I feed these birds” but she’s underground with no bird in sight. And the part where she mentions the lottery ticket has been cut. The whole number is pointless. Again, it happens in her head and she dies.

Hundreds of Stories and Everything I Know were also cut, taking away the opportunity to explore Usnavi and Nina’s deep connection to her.

She wasn’t even portrayed in the mural at the end of the movie!

Do you still feel “she was showcased much more than in the stage version”?

[bear88]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 12:40pm

Thank you to those who are using spoiler tags or keeping their comments vague. I actually want to see this in a theater in June. 

My impression, based on the trailer, interviews with creatives and comments:

- Some of things I liked about the stage show are gone (to the point where I'm wondering if I might enjoy the film more - when I see it - if I had never seen the stage show)

- The plot's different in a host of ways - some minor, some significant

- The director's answer to every question is to do more, to make everything bigger.

- The big, flashy directorial style works really well for some scenes/songs, perhaps less well for others.

- It sounds fun, a good summer movie with some fine performances 

Is that about right? 

[ggersten]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 1:08pm

bear88 said: "Thank you to those who are using spoiler tags or keeping their comments vague. I actually want to see this in a theater in June.

My impression, based on the trailer, interviews with creatives and comments:

- Some of things I liked about the stage show are gone (to the point where I'm wondering if I mightenjoythe film more - when I see it -if I had never seen the stage show)

- The plot's different in a host of ways - some minor, some significant

- The director's answer to every question is to do more, to make everything bigger.

- The big, flashy directorial style works really well for some scenes/songs, perhaps less well for others.

- It sounds fun, a good summer movie with some fine performances

Is that about right?"

Yes - but like all "adaptations" - try to forget the "original" and view it on its own merit.  Does the film work - for you - as it exists. After all, the film versions of Cabaret and On the Town (among others) are dramatically different from their stage versions, but are great films on their own. And there are adaptations that are bad - not because of the changes from the original - but just because they are bad. 

[sherie_worshipper]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 2:36pm

In the Heights is both a bad adaptation of the stage show and a bad movie.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 2:59pm

sherie_worshipper said: "In the Heights is both a bad adaptation of the stage show and a bad movie."

We’re done with this thread, then.  

 

[bear88]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 7:35pm

ggersten said: "bear88 said: "Thank you to those who are using spoiler tags or keeping their comments vague. I actually want to see this in a theater in June.

My impression, based on the trailer, interviews with creatives and comments:

- Some of things I liked about the stage show are gone (to the point where I'm wondering if I mightenjoythe film more - when I see it -if I had never seen the stage show)

- The plot's different in a host of ways - some minor, some significant

- The director's answer to every question is to do more, to make everything bigger.

- The big, flashy directorial style works really well for some scenes/songs, perhaps less well for others.

- It sounds fun, a good summer movie with some fine performances

Is that about right?"

Yes - but like all "adaptations" - try to forget the "original" and view it on its own merit. Does the film work - for you - as it exists. After all, the film versions of Cabaret and On the Town (among others) are dramatically different from their stage versions, but are great films on their own. And there are adaptations that are bad - not because of the changes from the original - but just because they are bad."

I agree. The only way to judge the film will be to assess it as a film - as if I'd never seen the original stage play or know how the original story was presented. It's weird for me to realize that the movie won't include "Everything I Know," one of my favorite songs from the musical, but it's probably best I know that now. The film will either work for me, and I've seen plenty of praise thus far, or it won't, and I'll agree with sherie_worshipper.

But given the previews I've seen and descriptions I've read, the film seems like something best seen in a movie theater.

Your Cabaret comparison seems quite fair. There are three very different versions of that show - the original stage version, the movie, and the revival that incorporated some elements of the film and added touches of its own. 

[Musical Master]

Posted: 4/17/21 at 7:43pm

Judging from the Twitter reviews and the ones on here, it seems this movie may turn out to be a pretty good film adaptation and a fun time. Not great, but good, which honestly is more than enough to convince me to watch it.

[helvizz]

Posted: 4/18/21 at 5:13pm

I had trouble with a few elements of the movie (namely, the actress portraying Nina and the changes they've made to Abuela Claudia's storyline), but I still think this is a superb movie. The director was able to translate the stage version into a movie and it shows. Some changes to the book were made, as well as some songs being cut, but they were necessary to keep the running time as it is (~2h10min) and it's still quite coherent. A few book updates, like the part about undocumented immigrants (which isn't a spoiler because they talk about it in the trailers), only made the show better. I laughed, I cried and I had a blast. The message In the Heights delivers is there. Is it the perfect adaptation? No. But it's a damn near one, an excellent movie that holds its own both as an adptation and as a musical.  

Under the cut I will go into details about what I loved and what I disliked, with spoilers about the movie, so read it at your own risk. I've only added 3 pros against 2 cons, but don't be fooled, the pros far outweigh the cons.

 

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The pros

1) Like I said, the stage version is very well adaptated to the big screen. The director knew how to use elements that aren't possible in the theater, such as in Breathe, when we see Nina in various stages of her life. He leaves his mark in pretty much every number and I'm glad he does. Alabanza was very emotional for me and it's all thanks to the direction, which was simple but effective, and the actors.

2) Overall, the cast is splendid. Anthony Ramos is just perfect as Usnavi: he has the voice, but more importantly, he has the charisma the role requires. The actress portraying Vanessa approaches her with a soft interpretation, and it works so well. I completely loved her.

3) I loved how the movie talked about dreams. If I recall correctly, the stage version doesn't talk about it directly, even though the characters have their ambitions. The movie made them explicit and used it to talk about undocument immigrants beautifully. 

 
The cons

1) The actress portraying Nina isn't a very good singer or actress. In fact, there are always multiple people in the ensemble in Breathe and When you're home, which takes the spotlight from her. This is one of those cases when less is more because we are allowed to focus on Nina (and Benny). That's a shame, because those songs are very emotional and really build Nina's character. They also cut Everything I know, which is a beautiful song to show the relationship between Nina and Abuela and to explain why Nina goes back to college. I do wonder how much of that happened because the actress isn't a big belter and the director had to work around that.

2) Abuela Claudia sings Paciencia y Fé right after Blackout, just as she's going to bed, and the whole song takes place inside her head. My main problem with the song is that towards the end she doesn't reveal she has won the lotto, she just wonders whether she should go back to the Dominican Republic or not - or whether she should die or not, depending on how you interpret it. And, as soon as the song ends, she dies. Therefore, the song doesn't advance the plot (the mystery of who has won the lotto isn't solved and there's no plot twist), but it stops it altogether. We also don't have time to really connect with her after we have learned about her story. It's not necessarily bad, I think it still works specially if you don't know the original, but it's nowhere near as good as it is onstage, specially considering that Paciencia y Fé is one of my favorite songs written for musical theater and that I love the character.

 

Updated On: 4/18/21 at 05:13 PM

[teddy1996]

Posted: 4/18/21 at 9:28pm

dascha polanco was really not needed in this movie. cuca was silly and fun but extremely pointless and she served no purpose in this. she barely had any lines too.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 4/18/21 at 10:28pm

teddy1996 said: "dascha polanco was really not needed in this movie. cuca was silly and fun but extremely pointless and she served no purpose in this. she barely had any lines too. "

Her body-form fitting jumpsuits spoke for Cuca. 

[sherie_worshipper]

Posted: 4/18/21 at 10:31pm

Okay, I know I’m the voice of dissent on this board, but let me explain why I believe this movie fails to deliver.

Full disclosure: I’m a Latino immigrant living in the US. This shouldn’t be important, since this movie will be seen by people from all backgrounds, but I think I know a thing or two about the reality of the characters and I really wanted to love this movie. But let me also say that, as much as I love the stage musical, I tried to approach this movie from the perspective of a regular moviegoer.

 

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The movie was beautifully shot by Jon M. Chu. It really is a visual feast (even though I could have done without the characters drawing literal pictures in the air and the dancing wig heads). My main issue is with the pacing. For example: After the first fifteen minutes, nothing has happened. You can get away with that on stage, but film is a different beast. Also, the scenes between the musical numbers are long – and I mean looooong. Even the scenes that are placed inside musical numbers are long. The drawn-out interaction between Usnavi and Vanessa during It Won’t Be Long Now kills the momentum of the song.

The director knows how to film a musical number, but he doesn’t know how to keep the rhythm of a musical. In other words, he knows how to capture individual moments, but his vision for the whole movie doesn’t cohere. The storytelling is all over the place. The movie has tremendous visual flair, but lacks focus.

Actually, I take that back. Chu doesn’t really know how to film a musical number either. He knows how to capture beautiful frames and exciting choreography, but what’s the reasoning behind cutting away from his main character the very first moment he starts to sing? And that’s not the only time he cuts away from the character who’s singing. When Vanessa sings in the bodega, he shows Usnavi and Sonny instead of her for a huge chunk of her song.

Chu was so preoccupied with creating extravagant musical numbers that he forgot to tell the story. No Me Diga, for example, became a huge ensemble number (to be fair, almost every song in the movie became a huge ensemble number). We don’t really get to know Daniela, Carla and Cuca (by the way, why is Cuca in the movie?) because Chu never really focuses on them. It’s all about the visuals and the ensemble.

And then there’s the When the Sun Goes Down problem. It’s a quiet song. A beautiful moment between two characters in love. But he chose to film it as a surreal dance sequence. It looks terrific, but my question is: Why? I got the feeling that Chu didn’t trust the songs, so he decided to make each and every one of them a spectacle. Sometimes less is more.

I have already stated before why I think Abuela Claudia is the major casualty of this movie, but someone mentioned that Alabanza was very emotional for them. I don’t think Alabanza truly works because Abuela Claudia is a non-entity in the movie. The sequence is well shot, but only those who know the stage version will be moved by it – because of their emotional connection to the song in its original context. I doubt people seeing the movie for the first time will be emotional during the sequence.

I didn’t mind the additions to the plot, but I wonder why so much was cut. I think Nina’s storyline has also suffered a lot from the cuts. Priscilla Lopez’s character became, well… nothing, and because of her absence, there’s no conflict between Benny and Kevin. Or even Benny and Nina, for that matter. They are already in love from the first scene. They end up in love. Nothing changes. Their whole journey has been simplified to an inch of its life. Oh, and Benny has no storyline whatsoever. None.

But someone may argue: These cuts were important to make the story work as a movie. Then why oh why did they include Piragua? Lin-Manuel has said that he wrote that song to be used for a scene change in the original show. It has no place in this movie. Its only raison d'être is to give Lin-Manuel a showstopper. But why does he need one? It just serves as fan service and, honestly, feels like the composer putting his ego before the story. There, I said it. He should have either played Usnavi (I still think he looks young enough to have pulled it off) or stepped away altogether. By playing the piragua guy, he not only became a distraction, but also managed to take precious screen time away from the more important characters.

Now, the cast. I really loved everyone, with the exception of the actress playing Nina. She’s beautiful, but her acting and singing are not up to the task. But the cast is uniformly good and it’s really not their fault that the movie doesn’t work.

I wonder if too much creative freedom was an issue here. The movie could have benefitted enormously from someone with a different perspective, someone who could have spotted the holes in the script and cut the fat from the long scenes. Seriously, 15% of this movie belongs on the cutting room floor. I truly believe there’s a better movie waiting to be edited here. But yes, not even the best editor in the world could solve the Abuela Claudia conundrum.

I read somewhere that Warner is doing these advance screenings because they know they have something special in their hands. I disagree. They’re doing it to get the fans to spread word of mouth before the reviews. At least two major critics have said they didn’t like the movie, but they’re under embargo. But, of course, no one can stop the Lin-Manuel Miranda hype train. This movie will be a hit, regardless of its quality. And that’s okay. But don’t fool yourselves. It could have been a great movie. And I blame the director and the writers.

It will be fun to revisit this thread in ten years. Will this movie have become a cultural mainstay or another entry in the long list of failed Broadway adaptations?

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 4/18/21 at 10:40pm

Does anybody have a list of what songs ended up getting cut?

[helvizz]

Posted: 4/18/21 at 10:45pm

TheatreFan4 said: "Does anybody have a list of what songs ended up getting cut?"

Under the cut.

 

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Inútil, Sunrise, Hundreds of Stories, Enough, Atención, and Everything I know.

I only really missed Inútil and Everthing I know. 

 

Updated On: 4/18/21 at 10:45 PM

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 4/18/21 at 10:57pm

 

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Ehh... Only loss really is Everything I Know.

 

[SmokeyLady]

Posted: 4/19/21 at 2:00pm

Thrilled by the word of mouth Olga Merediz is getting. She has been around a long time.

[teddy1996]

Posted: 4/19/21 at 9:31pm

what score do you think this movie will get on rotten tomatoes?