Remakes of classic films aren’t new, but there’s a responsibility to bring them up to date despite the time period they’re originally set in. Acclaimed director Steven Spielberg attempts to do just that with 2021’s West Side Story, altering certain aspects of the 1961 musical film, which is adapted from the 1957 Broadway musical by Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein, and Stephen Sondheim (he recently passed away at 91), who wrote the music and lyrics, respectively. With a screenplay from Tony Kushner, West Side Story is visually entrancing, emotional, and the choreography and staging magnetic even when certain aspects of the story don’t always work.

Like the original musical and its subsequent film adaptation, Spielberg’s West Side Story follows the same story: the Jets — a mostly Irish gang led by Riff (Mike Faist) — provoke the Sharks — a Puerto Rican gang led by Bernardo (David Alvarez) — over territory fueled by racism on the part of the Jets. There’s a lot of tension between the street gangs and they’re always on the verge of a rumble. Riff encourages Tony (Ansel Elgort), a former leader of the Jets who was released from prison for beating someone to near death, to join them in their fight against the Sharks, but Tony is against it. Meanwhile, Bernardo and girlfriend Anita (Ariana DeBose) encourage his 18-year-old sister Maria (Rachel Zegler) to meet Chino (Josh Andrés Rivera), Bernardo’s kind-hearted friend who is not involved with the Sharks. However, Maria and Tony meet each other during a gym dance and fall head over heels in love, heightening the tension between the Jets and the Sharks.

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Anita and others in the cast dance in the street in West Side Story

While the latest West Side Story is a rather faithful adaptation of the musical, Spielberg and Kushner make distinct changes to the story and characters in a bid to add touches of realism, altering aspects of the plot to the benefit of some things and to the detriment of others. There’s a bluntness that surrounds and envelops every character and their lives that feels a lot harsher than it did in the 1961 film. Songs like “Gee, Officer Krupke” and “A Boy Like That” have an additional layer of darkness and sorrow, as do certain character decisions (including that of Rita Moreno’s Valentina, who is a re-envisioned version of Doc from the original). Changes range from song placement to the addition of characters like Valentina and the choice to make the character of Anybodys (Ezra Menas) more obviously trans (versus it being implied in the original film). There’s absolutely no doubt West Side Story is a well-made film, with Spielberg proving capable of helming a musical that has a complicated and layered history.

The alterations don’t always work, however, with certain storylines and perspectives lacking the depth to fully amplify underwritten parts of the story. Here, the Jets are in the spotlight, especially as their backstories and dynamics with each other play out while the Sharks are elevated in their roles, but are still short-changed overall. Other things, like the Sharks’ accents, aren’t necessary. West Side Story ultimately continues to highlight the failure to capture the range of the Puerto Rican experience living in New York City as the focus still leans heavily towards the Jets. The film doesn’t have much to say about the difficulties of assimilation in the U.S. beyond the lyrics to “America,” which is a mixture of the film and stage versions of the song. The best number in the film, Spielberg leaves the rooftop setting of the 1961 film, allowing the cast to take to the streets of their neighborhood, which showcases more of the Puerto Rican culture and community.

Riff and the Jets walk down the street in West Side Story (2021)

To that end, the musical numbers are well-choreographed and staged in a way that isn’t stagnant. The cameras move to fully capture the actors’ movements and the gorgeous costumes (designed by Paul Tazewell), the vibrancy and intensity of the performances make them all the more memorable and wonderful to watch. The cinematography by Janusz Kamiński is deep and gritty, matching the tone of the film; the camera zooms in on the actors when the emotion is high and far too raw to look away, adding nuance and depth to an already layered plot and generally strong cast performances. Ariana DeBose gives a stunning, memorable performance as Anita, one that is filled with joy, heartbreak, and so much passion. DeBose’s onscreen presence is incredibly magnetic and she steals every scene she is in. She’s destined to steal the hearts of the audience, too, who will likely want to see more of her in future projects.

Mike Faist is committed to his role as Riff, who manages to make a deeply unlikable character sympathetic to some extent. Like DeBose, Faist’s intensity makes his portrayal all the more effective. David Alvarez is wonderful as Bernardo; he’s got panache and gels well with DeBose; the pair have a lot of chemistry together. For her first major film role, Rachel Zegler does a good job conveying Maria’s naïveté, self-involvement, and love for Tony. Ansel Elgort, while having a fairly decent singing voice, is underwhelming as Tony, overacting in scenes that require a bit more reflection and not always matching Zegler as a lovestruck youth. Rita Moreno is fierce yet weary as Valentina, and it’s lovely that she is a part of the new film in a role that is not just a cameo.

There is a lot to love about West Side Story — be it the spectacular detail, the look and feel of the film, the musical performances, or the updates made to certain aspects of the story. However, there are also changes that don’t work and are never going to, regardless of the filmmakers’ best efforts to do so. And yet West Side Story still manages to captivate somehow, with the cast passionately lighting up the screen and making the most out of their storylines despite everything.

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West Side Story releases in theaters on December 10, 2021. The film is 156 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for some strong violence, strong language, thematic content, suggestive material and brief smoking.

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