West Side Story

It’s a minor miracle that Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story is this great.

Expertly toeing the line between homage and innovation, the remake of Robert Wise’s 1961 Best Picture winner warrants its existence with each frame thanks to a concerted effort by cast and crew in which the stakes arguably couldn’t be higher.

At the forefront of this joyous success story is Spielberg’s direction and ongoing perfection of the distinct visual style he and go-to cinematographer Janusz Kaminski have pioneered over the past two decades. But just as important is Tony Kushner’s script, where conflicts, characterizations, and emotions feel more fully realized than in Ernest Lehman’s initial telling.

Along with the pending demolition of the Sharks’ and Jets’ overlapping neighborhood, which tightens already strained tensions between desperate populations, viewers better understand why Riff (a wiry, tightly coiled Mike Faist) is so testy or what would drive straight-laced Chino (Josh Andrés Rivera) to avenge his friend Bernardo (David Alvarez). And while Stephen Sondheim’s iconic songs and Leonard Bernstein’s soaring music remain the same, their staging, placement, and who sings them significantly contribute to this West Side Story’s overall freshness. 

Though “Mambo” receives a largely faithful presentation, showstopper “America” finds Anita (Ariana DeBose, the film’s MVP) energetically leading her Puerto Rican friends into the streets; a pre-rumble “Cool” mines the deescalation number for deeper sorrow; and “Gee, Officer Krupke” elevates the impact of the Jets’ sarcastic self-critiques by placing them within the police department’s very walls. Rounding out each of these memorable numbers is choreography that both pays tribute to Jerome Robbins’ groundbreaking work on stage and in the original film and adds to Tony winner Justin Peck’s already impressive resumé.

However, few of these standout reimaginings involve star-crossed lovers Maria (Rachel Zegler) and Tony (Ansel Elgort), who are again outshined by their more intriguing co-stars, though the leads are likewise an upgrade over their 1961 counterparts by default of doing their own singing. And, lovely though Natalie Wood is in the original, casting a Maria of Latinx descent instead of Russian likewise goes a long way, as does the array of natural skin tones present across the ensemble.

In her feature film debut, Zegler proves an ideal Maria, so beautiful, intelligent, and kind that it’s no wonder Tony falls for her. And while Elgort initially seemed an odd choice for her counterpart, he turns out to be a highly capable and charismatic musical leading man, a decent vocalist, and a gifted dancer — most notably in the re-staging of “Cool,” which finds him leaping over holes in a dilapidated dock and literally bouncing off its walls, attempting to convince Riff to leave his gun at home. More importantly, he and Zegler exhibit smoldering chemistry and are a delight to gaze upon and root for over the course of this most improbable and action-packed few days.

Capping it all is the film’s respectful and loving incorporation of Rita Moreno, who famously won an Oscar playing Anita in the original. As Doc’s Puerto Rican widow Valentina, Moreno runs the neighborhood drugstore with a blend of grace and tenacity, serving as a voice of reason amidst unnecessary violence — and the solo Kushner gives her is bound to test the resilience of viewers’ tear ducts.

Back in early fall as awards season heated up, I predicted (sight unseen) that West Side Story would win Best Picture at next year’s Academy Awards, figuring that it had been a few years since a true crowdpleaser had prevailed, and that as the COVID-19 pandemic wore on, the combination of Spielberg (himself somehow Oscar-less for 22 years) helming one of history’s most beloved musicals would be irresistible to voters. Now, with the recent passing of Sondheim and the actual film being even better than many moviegoers imagined, it seems like a worthy frontrunner.

Grade: A. Rated PG-13. Now playing at AMC River Hills 10, Carolina Cinemark, and Regal Biltmore Grande

(Photo: Niko Tavernise)