As a film I don’t think West Side Story could be better. Everything from the lighting, to the colours, to the acting, the songs, the dancing, the cinematography is all done exceptionally well. What I find interesting is that story-wise it barely changed from the original film despite the dialogue being completely original.
Once again, spoilers ahead.
Contrasts
There are so many moments in West Side Story where the mix of tones, emotions, lighting with mood, mood with setting, circumstance with lighting convey this idea of grit and beauty co-existing. That also comes across in this Shakespearean story where two sides of the same thing (poverty, oppression, societal neglect), and two opposite things (Jets vs. Sharks) come together in love. The convergence of opposites frames this film almost entirely.
But this is life, mis amores. It’s colourful and it’s dark alleys, it’s moody and full of the unexpected. In fact I think the choice to play up the visuals helps to contrast the drama and the shit realities they all live. On one hand, it might feel like oppression being glamourized, but a counter argument is that to appreciate one is to see the other. West Side Story is a love story, a story about class, racial oppression, and about the lack of resolution to these things. They do, sometimes briefly, find bridges to connect through.
Overall
Most of the actors in this are new to mainstream studios. The Puerto Ricans are also all Latin American. This is probably the biggest change to the film from the 1961 version. The original Maria makes a small cameo, which is nice, too. Overall, I’m quite pleased with West Side Story. I admittedly did want it to win the Oscar for Best Picture.
Rating: 4.5/5
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