Exactly 60 years ago, the original West Side Story hit theaters. This classic (written by Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents) balanced a fine line of dance fighting and incorporating a timeless story of love and division. It’s arguably one of the greatest movie musicals ever made and has 10 Academy Awards to prove it. So, it’s odd that Steven Spielberg would choose to remake it.
This new version follows the plot of the original, which was based on Romeo and Juliet. The Jets and the Sharks have been in a long-standing rivalry to own the streets in 1950s New York. Their ethnic backgrounds only fuel the hatred they feel for the other. Meanwhile, Tony (Ansel Egort) a semi-reformed Shark who wants none of the violence, sees and immediately falls for Maria (Rachel Zegler). Maria is the sister of the Sharks gang leader, and doesn’t see the point of this teenage war.
When I was a child and saw the original movie, I must have been swept up in the star-crossed love of it all. I didn’t pay any attention to the events all happening in the span of a few days. Truly, the story follows just how quickly Romeo and Juliet fell in love, but my jaded side scoffs a little at Tony and Maria threatening everything for a stars-aligning crush they developed in less than a day.
To go along with this story, you need to soak into it. You need to be captured by the magic. You can’t be put off by dance fighting, because the choreography is just that great. The music is identical to that of the original play and movie, but it doesn’t feel dated, because it’s truly timeless.
The themes of this movie feel just as relevant now, even when divisions are more subtle, and battle lines are drawn on Facebook and Twitter instead of in an abandoned warehouse. The love like that Tony and Maria share, surpasses the color of their skin and where they were born. Their connection is the example that each gang could follow if they only cut their stubborn nature and stopped talking, just to be the loudest voice.
While watching this version, the theme that kept creeping into my mind was – Why? Why did this quintessential musical of its time get remade? Why did Steven Spielberg, of all directors, decide to add a fresh coat of paint? And, why make it a near beat-for-beat identical movie?
That’s not to say this remake isn’t in capable hands. There is real artistry found within. Frequent Spielberg collaborator, cinematographer Janusz Kamiński creates amazing shots that won’t soon leave your head. It’s truly the visuals that make this version worth watching. Beyond the framing of each shot, there is some wonderful artistry in the choreography in each dance.
The new West Side Story is a movie saved by its supporting cast. I was disappointed by the performances of both Egort and Zegler. They both carry the air of knowing they’re being filmed. I didn’t sense much chemistry between the two. Their connection felt less than genuine and eventually felt hollow when the plot takes a very dramatic turn. That said, the charisma and talent of their co-stars greatly improves the experience. Ariana DeBose steals the entire movie. That might be cheating as Anita has always been the best character of the story, but DeBose is spectacular. David Alvarez, who plays the leader of the Sharks, is entirely convincing as an intimidating force but would be a loving caretaker, if he didn’t get in his own way. Mike Faist, as Riff, is the acting leader of the Jets, and fits so well into the role of a scrappy kid who won’t say no to a fight. Finally, Rita Moreno (who won the Oscar for the original) gets a fairly meaty role of someone who should be the emotional compass to both gangs.
Steven Spielberg took one of the best movie musicals and made it again. He didn’t ruin it by any means. In fact, he treated the work as sacred. The music is unforgettable, still. This is a good movie, but it’s also the same movie you’ve seen. It’s not the most uplifting story, but he added visual flair (And plenty of lens flares) that makes this feel unique to him. If you can handle the 2 hour 36 minute runtime, I’d recommend it. Though, I can’t imagine this will ever replace the original. B-
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