#Briand'Arcy

[doomonfilm]

Thoughts : West Side Story (2021)

During last years Academy Awards ceremony, I was sitting there minding my own business when a somewhat familiar New York setting appeared on my screen.  Slowly, I saw Jets, I saw Sharks, and when I saw Maria, all of my assumptions became reality : someone was remaking West Side Story.  I prepared myself to see what brave soul was taking on the task of remaking such a beloved property, but my entire sense of reasoning got flipped when I saw the name assigned to direct the project was Steven Spielberg.  Why, of all people, would Spielberg remake West Side Story, of all movies?  Has he ever even made a musical before?  

The hype was there, but after a delay or two that pushed the film back to Christmas of 2021, I found that my excitement for the project had pretty much died down to a light casual level.  When award season announcements started coming out, I was (and wasn’t) surprised to see West Side Story garner so many nominations, and yet, I could not inspire myself to make a trip to the cinema for a viewing.  Once West Side Story hit Disney+ this week, however, I had no further excuses, and seeing that I have been given plenty of time to watch this prior to the upcoming Academy Awards ceremony, I finally carved out a couple of hours and dove in.

While I did anticipate a modern day remake of West Side Story to be patently edgier than it’s cinematic forefather, I don’t think I was expecting the film to be as hard-nosed and rough around the edges as it was, much to the film’s benefit.  As a Bernstein and Sondheim musical, it is nearly impossible to execute West Side Story without the integration of the singing and dancing, but both of these elements are perfectly sewn into the world in the most natural way possible... rather than relying on musical numbers as dressed up exposition dumps, Spielberg (mostly) is able to weave in dance and song numbers while portraying them as genuine moments of personal expression and release, like in the opening where members of the Jets dance through the streets to hype themselves up for a disrespectful stand in their former neighborhood, now occupied by a growing Puerto Rican community.  Rather than undercut the rumbles and run-ins by choreographing them as dance numbers, the combat is presented as an 85/15 percent mixture of proper combat and heightened choreography.  

The film is extremely raw in terms of its approach to attitude, romance, representation and cultural dedication as well.  One of the most noticeable additions to this update is the inclusion of coarse language, with the dated and restrained derogatory terms and coded curse words from the 1961 version of the film being largely replaced with R-rated language.  The classic romantic framework that leans on the Romeo & Juliet classic remains, as this adaptation is not necessarily a narrative update, but we really get to feel the tangle of the multiple threads in this version... the love triangle between Maria, Chino and Tony really stands out in this update, while the influence of Bernardo and Anita on Maria is easier for the viewer to sympathize with in this version, making the romance between Tony and Maria that much more tenuous.  One other beneficial update is the treatment and presentation of Anybodys... despite her tomboyish appearance in the original, the rampant misogynistic attitude present in the Jets culture would have made her a clear target for assaults of different nature in an update, but based on the current difficult acceptance on a mass level of the Transgender community, having Anybodys present as they/them makes their connection to the Jets being beneficial while also being frowned upon much more believable on a grand scale.

Speaking of representation, Spielberg is (obviously) much more representative and respective of all cultures present in his version of West Side Story... both sides of the conflict are set up to be equally sympathized and villainized, and for those with a sense of self-pride and awareness of their heritage, it is extremely simple to see why all parties involved feel so strongly about maintaining their cultural stake in a rapidly changing New York.  Time has made this change that much more of an impending doom factor in Spielberg’s update, as the specter of gentrification that hangs over both communities signals the genesis of a changing New York that looks much more different even now than when the original West Side Story first achieved its time-based classic status.  The way that xenophobia, cultural pride and capitalism creates a three-pronged sense of tension within the two communities is also a considerably powerful factor, as we really feel the nature of the brewing hate between both sides, explicitly via Riff’s direct digs and Bernardo’s flippant disregard for his tormentors.  While the presence of heritage blinding all sides from protecting themselves from an enemy that should unify them has always been a part of West Side Story, it feels like a showcase element in this updated take on the film.

Spielberg naturally shines on the production side of things, and all of it starts with the extremely distinct look he is able to give the film, which allows it to straddle the line between aged classic and modern take.  Just the right level of desaturation gives the entire affair a classic film look, but it is applied lightly enough to let the more vibrant pastels pop while still making them feel in line with the overall aged look.  The use of modern cinematic camera moves aids in lifting the overall spirit of the viewer, allowing us to feel proper for a musical despite a restraint-filled approach from Spielberg to the standard musical.  The set dressings, wardrobe, hairstyles, vocabulary and accents are all pitch perfect, making the film wonderfully immersive and easy to buy in to.  The very precise lighting choices and presentation of set elements allows the film to toe the line of a theatrical, play0like presentation without necessarily allowing the restraining feel of a set to emerge.  As mentioned before, the wonderful balance of incredibly organic dance choreography set against the combat choreography makes all of those sequences feel much more natural than they do performative.

He may not be the star or the top billed actor, but Mike Faist is the star of West Side Story, as he turns in a performance that makes it feel like he was literally ripped from the era the story takes place in, down to the defiant anti-authoritarian attitude and undying devotion for the streets, with enough edge to cut a viewer not paying attention.  David Alvarez matches all of the intensity that Faist lays out, but offsets it with a deep cultural pride, a complete lack of patience for disrespect and enough cool to package it up and sell it.  Rachel Zegler steps up to the lofty challenge of portraying the iconic Maria, and she manages to make all of the innocence, sheltered nature and loving optimism in the face of toxic doubt feel fresh and completely her own.  Ansel Elgort feels as if he is stepping into a sort of elder statesman role for his generation, serving as the voice of reason and the example for potential change and evolution for a group of residents that feel as if they’re being pushed out of the place that they belong, with his normally slightly unique look feeling completely at home in West Side Story.   Ariana DeBose is a joy as Anita, bringing a wonderfully feisty energy to her role as Maria’s loving voice of reason who understands the passion, but needs the peace.  Corey Stoll brings all the heat as Lieutenant Schrank, dropping facts and knowledge to the Jets in the same manner he lobbies disrespect at the Sharks, all the while giving both sides the brutal truth.  Stoll’s presence is given additional support by Brian d’Arcy James as the ever maligned Officer Krupke, wearing the strain and stress that comes with being a police officer like a second skin.  Josh Andrés Rivera amplifies the burden of unrequited love by also serving as the bearer of bad news, making us completely feel his pain as the stakes rise.  iris menas steps confidently into the updated role of Anybodys, showing a complete ownership of the character that gives them newfound agency and pride.  Rita Moreno steps in to help crystalize the transfer of energy from the original to the update, while supporting appearances by a host of Jets, Sharks, family and friends help Spielberg complete his vision.

While Spielberg does a standout job directing, it does feel a bit of a rudimentary display to do West Side Story, especially with such classic source material to reference that has stood the test of time.   I do understand all of the award fanfare, though it’s crazy that Mike Faist, the one element that deserves breakout praise, has not seen it on the biggest awards stages.  All of that being said, I have to give West Side Story the props and respect it deserves, despite my personal feelings on someone as prolific as Spielberg taking on such a seemingly easy choice at this point in his career.