“Spielberg’s West Side Story remains faithful to the 1957 Broadway musical source material (which, of course, was inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet) and is still firmly rooted in the New York City of the 1950s — but also manages to come across as fresh and timely, thanks to the screenplay by the great Tony Kushner, some key tweaks to certain characters and moments and song placement, and a sensational feature film debut by Rachel Zegler, who delivers a star-making performance and makes Maria her own from the moment we see her on screen. (We’d also be remiss not mention the classic original music and lyrics by Leonard Bernstein and the late Stephen Sondheim, respectively.)
With cinematographer Janusz Kaminski’s camera swooping about in spectacular fashion and the production design by Adam Stockhausen perfectly capturing the 1957 vibe while also carrying an almost dreamlike quality at times, West Side Story effortlessly introduces (or should we say re-introduces) the familiar characters, including Zegler’s Maria, who is bursting with energy and life and optimism; Ansel Elgort’s Tony, who spent a year in prison after nearly killing a rival in a fight and is trying to be a better man; Ariana DeBose’s Anita, a lovely and passionate and independent-minded woman who is Bernardo’s girlfriend and an older-sister figure to Maria, and the seemingly bookish Chino (Josh Andres Rivera), who has been tabbed by Bernardo to be the right kind of suitor for Maria.
The famous Spielbergian magic lighting is put to great use here, e.g., when Tony takes Maria uptown to The Met Cloisters and they essentially exchange lifetime vows to the tune of ‘One Hand, One Heart,’ in a beautifully spiritual setting. On numerous other occasions, the location shots (and elaborate soundstage set pieces) pulsate with life, as well-choreographed extras back out of the way or look on in amazement during numbers such as the still-infectious “America.” In a career filled with brilliant achievements, Steven Spielberg has injected new life, new blood, new energy, new artistry, into a classic.” -Richard Roeper, Chicago Sun-Times
*Oscar-nominated for Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actress, Cinematography, Costume Design, Sound & Production Design
