agmtw logo
search
West Side Story (2021)

West Side Story (2021)

An irresistibly stylish and beautifully performed update on the classic musical

7.9

Movie

United States of America
English, German, Spanish
Crime, Drama, Music, Romance
2021
STEVEN SPIELBERG
Ana Isabelle, Andrea Burns, Andy Powers
156 min

What it's about

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

The take

If Steven Spielberg had just decided to do a straightforward cover version of West Side Story, it still would have been a wonder of music, movement, and color. But more than the lush camerawork and impassioned performances from Rachel Zegler, Mike Faist, and Oscar winner Ariana DeBose, this adaptation is most memorable for its renewed focus on the senselessness of its central turf war. Here, New York City exercises absolute power over the Jets and the Sharks, rendering all this gang violence as a futile attempt to hold on to outdated values in the face of economic desolation. Spielberg might not be able to do much about the story's weaker Romeo and Juliet-inspired parts, but he still finds a way to let this often ridiculed tragic romance serve a greater purpose.

Comments

Add a comment

Your name

Your comment

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

Cold War (2018)

A quiet Polish masterpiece with ravishing music and dazzling visuals

9.2

Whisper of the Heart (1995)

Finds magic in the ordinary every day—and reminds us the most special art is that which comes from the heart

8.3

Fruitvale Station (2013)

Compassionate filmmaking reconstructing a 24-hour police brutality story – with a stunning lead by Michael B. Jordan

9.7

The Teachers’ Lounge (2023)

A tense classroom thriller that doubles as an allegory about the frightening complexity of our modern world

8.8

Nowhere (2023)

A riveting Spanish Netflix survival thriller brought to life in Anna Castillo’s performance

7.8

Open Your Eyes (1997)

The startlingly surreal Spanish psychothriller that inspired modern cult classic Vanilla Sky

8.0

Broadcast News (1987)

A romantic and bittersweet drama set in the hectic world of TV news

8.0

In the Mood for Love (2000)

A timeless, melancholic classic of modern Hong Kong cinema about loneliness and love

9.2

Things to Come (2016)

A beautiful, bittersweet portrait of resilience

8.5

Mutt (2023)

A Sundance-awarded film that actually stands the test of time, a brave new addition to the trans cinema canon

8.3

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2024 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.