Review of In the Heights (2021) by Arcadefan1992 — 13 Jun 2021

My family really enjoyed Hamilton, having seen the play multiple times as well as the Disney airing of the production they filmed. So, we were really looking forward to this as well.

I have no idea why the critics aren't being honest about what a bloated mess this movie is. It's WAY TOO LONG (even after they shaved like 25 more minutes before sending it out). The singing is overall not great and often more sing-talking than actual singing. When the grandma has the best number in the movie with the best singing (it's REALLY GOOD), there's a problem since she's a pretty small part overall. The storylines are of the "very special movie of the week" type and are resolved in unsatisfying and unrealistic ways - or not resolved at all. And we have to talk about how UNNECESSSARY Lin Manuel's shaved ice character is in the movie. He SUCKS and KEEPS SHOWING UP, offering nothing to move the story along. And then the final insult- he's in an extended after credits sequence that was overplayed and unfunny. Yeah, it was with a Hamilton actor, but who cares? At least give the audience something good in the process. It was just another ego scene in a movie that didn't need ANY of them.

I know Jon Chu can direct a great movie - Crazy Rich Asians was WAY more enjoyable than this. So, I don't know what went wrong, but it's DEFINITELY wrong.

Like I said, we saw Hamilton multiple times, both live and on film, but I have zero desire to watch any part of In the Heights again. That should tell you everything you need to know.