West Side Story

West Side Story

Two youngsters from rival New York City gangs fall in love, but tensions between their respective friends build toward tragedy.

  • Released: 2021-12-08
  • Runtime: 156 minutes
  • Genre: Crime, Drama, Romance
  • Stars: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler, Rita Moreno, Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Corey Stoll, Brian d'Arcy James, Josh Andrés Rivera, Mike Faist, Ana Isabelle, Paloma Garcia-Lee, Maddie Ziegler, Andrea Burns, Kyle Allen, Curtiss Cook, Jamie Harris, iris menas, Sean Harrison Jones, Patrick Higgins, Julius Anthony Rubio, Ricardo Zayas, Sebastian Serra, Carlos Sánchez Falú, Jamila Velazquez, Talia Ryder, Jamiyka Jones, Michael P.J. Marston, Atif Lanier, Cameron Sawyer, Ben Cook, Gabriela Soto, Tanairi Sade Vazquez, Chryssie Whitehead, Eloise Kropp, Michael Ronca, Ilda Mason, iris menas, Tanairi Sade Vazquez, David Aviles Morales, Ricky Ubeda, Andrei Chagas, Adriel Flete, Jacob Guzman, Kelvin Delgado, Yurel Echezarreta, David Guzman, Jess LeProtto, John Michael Fiumara, Kevin Csolak, Kyle Coffman, Harrison Coll, Garett Hawe, Myles Erlick, Julian Elia, Carlos E. Gonzalez, Daniel Patrick Russell, Yesenia Ayala, Gabriela M. Soto, Juliette Feliciano Ortiz, Jeanette Delgado, Maria Alexis Rodriguez, Edriz E. Rosa Pérez, Jennifer Florentino, Melody Martí, Gaby Diaz, Isabella Ward, Leigh-Ann Esty, Lauren Leach, Brittany Pollack, Kellie Drobnick, Skye Mattox, Adriana Pierce, Jonalyn Saxer, Brianna Abruzzo, Halli Toland, Sara Esty, Mike Iveson, Annelise Cepero, Yassmin Alers, Nadia Quinn, Arianna Rosario, Natalie Toro, María Alejandra Castillo, Mannelly Gonzalez Abreu, Maya Haghighi Guliani, Tyler Myers, Jesseudi Marcelino, German M. Castillo, Ciara Calderon, Aubrey Mills, Leonardo Ro, Adrian Castillo, Luke Joseph Fuentes Duculan, Abigail R. Valdez, Navio Lopez, Victor Cruz, Erik Charlston, Clint de Ganon, Dave Phillips, Silvano Monasterios, Ric Molina, Dan Pearson, Hommy Ramos, Jose Ruiz, Jumaane Smith, Dave Noland, Roland Morales, Javier Díaz, Ron Stroman, Rene Ojeda, Feiga Martinez, Mike Massimino, Ryan Woodle, David Bean, Bert Michaels, Joe Lanza, Savannah Renée Rodriguez, Denia Brache, Lesley Bilingslea, Andy Powers, Reginald L. Barnes, Patrick Noonan, Jeff Ward, Pablo Thomas, Paul Niebanck, Ixchel Cuellar, Ricky Garcia, Oscar Antonio Rodriguez, José Ramón Rosario, Doreen Montalvo
  • Director: Steven Spielberg
 Comments
  • lalapauley - 20 May 2024
    modern masterpiece
    This version is truly a masterpiece of a movie. The original 1961 movie is also a masterpiece, but I've recently rewatched the 2021 adaptation and have to say that it's extremely, extremely good.

    This movie does not remake the original scene by scene, instead it adds new scenes and rearranges the musical numbers to be closer to the sequencing from the original Broadway production. The added scenes like Tony and Maria visiting the church, Riff bargaining for the gun, Anita going to the morgue to identify Bernardo's body, all add even more emotion and depth to the characters.

    I have to say the two standout performances for me were Mike Faist as Riff and Ariana DeBose as Anita. Both just absolute masterclass performances, I'm shocked that Mike Faist did not receive at least an Oscar nomination, and Ariana deserved her awards so much.

    It's just a beautiful film overall, every shot is so detailed, you can tell that Spielberg has a deep appreciation for the source material yet he added his own style and nuance to each scene. I truly believe that West Side Story is one of the best pieces of theatre/film of all time, and I feel lucky that we have this version to watch as well as the original.
  • Turfseer - 3 March 2024
    Spielberg's reboot proves inferior to the Academy Award winning original
    Spielberg's attempt to revive the iconic "West Side Story" falls short when stacked against the brilliance of the 1961 Academy Award-winning original. The unavoidable comparisons intensify when considering the substantial influence of screenwriter Tony Kushner, who leaned more on the original stage play than the earlier film adaptation.

    The film's saving grace lies in Spielberg's treatment of the musical numbers. The true brilliance emerges when Stephen Sondheim's lyrics are sung, accompanied by Leonard Bernstein's unforgettable music. This is where the adaptation manages to shine, capturing the essence of the iconic tunes.

    However, the film stumbles on two fronts: the casting and the handling of dramatic scenes. Kushner's inclusion of the new character Valentina, played by the original Anita, Rita Moreno, proves a redeeming aspect. Yet, despite Moreno's commendable portrayal, her rendition of 'Somewhere' near the climax lacks the potency of the principal character Tony singing it and is hindered by Moreno's aged voice.

    Spielberg's casting decisions raise eyebrows. Rachel Zegler, while handling the musical numbers well as Maria, is too young and lacks the gravitas that Natalie Wood brought to the role. Ansel Elgort as Tony, though possessing a fine voice, fails to leave a lasting impression.

    Moreover, Kushner's attempts to provide backstories for Tony and rival Bernardo (Tony did a year in the slammer and Bernardo now a skilled boxer) feel superficial and add little substance to their characters.

    The film deviates from the original's concise storytelling, introducing unnecessary verbiage and omitting the underscoring of musical themes during crucial dramatic moments. The gang members, though effective in song, lack the memorability of their counterparts from the original, with the notable exception of the "Gee Officer Krupke" number placed in the original setting of a police precinct. The gang roles in Spielberg's version remain largely forgettable, failing to match the corny but still memorable supporting players of the original.

    The underdeveloped romantic plot, reminiscent of musical theater tropes, is exacerbated by an unnecessary minimal expansion of Tony and Maria's relationship (for example their "date" to the Cloisters).. The film's choreography, though commendable in certain scenes, falters in the overblown gang dance sequences, particularly in the prologue and "Cool," where the clumsy handling of a gun detracts from the intended effect.

    Ariana DeBose stands out among the supporting cast as Anita, a role that once made Rita Moreno a star. Chino's transformation from a nerdy outsider to a killer is an interesting choice, but the portrayal of the police detective comes across as overly malevolent.

    Despite Spielberg's technical brilliance, his struggle to elicit compelling drama from the actors is evident. The film would have benefitted from a director with theatrical experience.

    In the realm of intellectual engagement, "West Side Story" fails to make significant demands on its audience. Nevertheless, the exceptional music, lyrics, and choreography, ensure a captivating experience, regardless of which version of this iconic musical you choose to watch.
  • dakwamyth-61293 - 5 September 2023
    Bad Remake
    Rachel Ziegler as well as others could not carry their roles. It had nothing on the original, in that it did not have the feel of the show. It was actually boring, and lacked the charisma that the 1961 movie had.

    I took my Aunt to watch it, as we both loved the 1961 movie, and were so disappointed at this remake. I can see why the movie did not make a profit, because it did not earn it. There were a few good scenes in the show. None of which involved Rachel Ziegler, as her ability to catty her role was even worse than the others. I do not see why Hollywood thinks she is such a great actress, when the truth is, she sucks.
  • david-meldrum - 3 December 2022
    Spielberg Rises To Yet Another Challenge
    If you come at a classic, you'd best not miss.

    Spielberg, of course, has more credit in the bank than most, so can cope with some misses. But he doesn't miss. It helps that the story is one of the greatest ever written, one foundational to culture; it helps too that the music is some of the best of its type ever written. But the original film is flawed - I adore it perhaps because rather than in spite of those flaws - so an update doesn't seem like the worst idea; given its problematic elements, which are less easy to overlook, an update on film may be essential.

    So much about this works so well. It's more authentically urbanised; the grime and noise of the city are more tangible and audible, at times, becoming part of the music itself. Several of the changes heighten the focus on the immigrant experience - untranslated Spanish dialogue and changed lyrics (the new take on 'America' is especially powerful). The choreography -so groundbreaking in the original - is breathtaking on its own terms, bold and intelligent.

    Musical films need to respect the genre and the audience to work well, and of course, there are few filmmakers who do both of those so well so routinely. The changes and the fresh eyes and ears are all, as always with Spielberg, to serve and enhance the audience experience. Changes tend to serve this; the setting of 'Gee Office Krupke', usually the comic centrepiece, is recontextualised to allow a more moving, almost tragic element without losing the comedy. 'I Feel Pretty' is moved and becomes almost too innocently sad to bear. The lead performances are good; Ariana DeBose is a star in the ascendant.

    I need to see it again, and again. I love the first film, I love the stage show - which I've seen multiple times. But on first viewing, it's enough to say this: we really should know by now not to doubt Spielberg. This is a triumph and one that should be more loved than it seems to be.
  • ericgoldberg-50159 - 29 September 2022
    Amazingly Beautiful
    This movie is beautifully filmed, written, casted, scored and directed. Spielberg is officially the master of movie making. He can do it all. The cinematography is fantastic and fits the story perfectly. The casting is absolutely on point especially with Ariana deBose as Anita. Rachel Zegler, who plays Maria, is very pretty (I guess that's why she feels pretty) and she has a wonderful voice. Ansel Elgort, who plays Tony, is Maria's knight in shining armor and sings very well. I truly feel the love between the star crossed lovers. It's amazing to see Rita Moreno still acting and singing as Valentina, Doc's wife. Overall this movie is beautiful from the whistle in the beginning to the very end.
  • dragomir_goranov - 3 September 2022
    Don't let your anger become your suicide
    I liked the music, the acting, the dances and the singing. The story is beautiful and it's a very enjoyable film. I thought it would be too long, but it kept me interested throughout the whole movie.

    Watching this movie made me think of a song by Marcela Detroit in which the lyrics are: "Don't let your anger or your fear become your suicide.".

    I have just one remark regarding the female actress - she is not convincingly pretty, she is nice, but not breathtakingly beautiful. It's not only that she is not pretty enough, her appearance is not as it should be. I think for example Sofia Carson would have been perfect in that role. All other actors are perfectly fine.