Love at first sight strikes when young Tony spots Maria at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks -- two rival gangs vying for control of the streets.
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, Rita Moreno, Corey Stoll
Release Date:
Genre: Crime, Drama, Musical, Romance
Rated PG-13 for some strong violence, strong language, thematic content, suggestive material and brief smoking.
Runtime: 2h 36m
Review:
Steven Spielberg's West Side Story isn't really necessary in the grand scheme of things since the 1961 Robert Wise film is considered cinematic royalty. Perhaps Spielberg is one of the few directors around who could pull off the amazing feat of delivering a vibrant and relevant refresh of this story. The film pulsates with a palatable verve from it's opening frame. Each shot is meticulously constructed and composed which displays the amount of care that went into this production. The songs are instantly recognizable but the choreography and costuming are just breathtaking to behold in terms of size and scope. Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler lead the cast as the star crossed lovers. Zegler, in her big screen debut, is perfect from the moment she hits the screen with a voice that's sure to leave an impression. There's an air of authenticity in her performance that bleeds through the screen. Elgort though feels like a weak spot in the cast with his performance and voice coming off flat for large portions of time. Zegler and Elgort don't share that spark of onscreen chemistry you'd expect from the central couple and in a lesser film it'd probably sink the whole production. It's a testament to the film that it really doesn't matter in the long run since the supporting cast more than makes up for it. Mike Faist turn as Riff is a kinetic punch of charismatic juvenile delinquency making him the most interesting person onscreen for a large portion of the film. David Alvarez is equally strong as Riff's rival Bernardo. Alvarez reeks of masculinity and machismo which fits perfectly with the character. Ariana DeBose, who takes on Rita Moreno's role from the original film, manages to leave a huge impression with her energetic and ultimately tragic turn with the centerpiece being her performance of America. Spielberg's West Side Story is a rare cinematic feat especially for a remake, it's engrossing, uplifting, timely and moving in the best way.
A-
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