Due to my participation in youth orchestras, I’ve always been a big fan of West Side Story and Leonard Bernstein. When I heard that Steven Spielberg was re-making the 1961 film, I was somewhat bemused. Honestly, there wasn’t that much to improve on. All the musical numbers and dance sequences in 1961 were performed nicely.
Despite my doubt, I was still excited for the December 2021 release. Unfortunately, no one I knew wanted to see it in theaters. My friend VG showed some interest, but turned out to be too busy. (I mean, he was getting ready to be married.) Plus, I doubt he really knew what he was in for; the man had a blank face when I hummed the melody to Maria.
Anyway, I finally got to watch the remake on March 26, 2022. My dad and I turned it on after an afternoon hiking at Rancho San Antonio and shopping at Sunnyvale Costco. I enjoyed it a lot. Rachel Zegler did a great job playing Maria, especially considering that was her first time role. Ariana DeBose definitely deserved her Oscar win for Anita. I didn’t recognize Rita Moreno (aka the original Anita) and was surprised to find that she was Valentina.
Overall I enjoyed the movie immensely, but I can’t recommend it to all audiences. In order to have a good time, you need to be a fan of musicals (or at least singing and dancing). As a word of warning, the movie is rated PG-13 by the MPAA, but it is tragic and gruesome at times, so it might not be suitable for kids. (My dad’s first words after finishing was “that was sad.”)
