Bette’s thoughts on the West Side Story Remake
I know this is a little late, but I finally got the chance to view the new West Side Story movie. First thoughts: THIS is how we do a remake of a beloved classic! I was expecting it to disappoint and it did anything but. Updates and fixes where it was needed, homage to the parts we know and love, and an uptick in the pace to match our society’s new shorter attention spans. That beautiful music. Perfection.
These kids (and they should be kids) are just right: they should be believably young enough, to be stupid enough to engage in the gang warfare that is their demise. Here, they refreshingly are. There are some roles that when you are old enough to understand them, you are too old to play them, because your wisdom bleeds through the work. I can smell the heat, and dirt, and desperation in all of them, and no wisdom to escape their ends.
The movement of certain songs to different spots made perfect sense…though it deprived us of the Jet girls moments in “Cool” it was a sacrifice worthy of the return. The song makes more sense as a plea for non-violence than a reaction to Schrank. And speaking of the girls…a super smart update to have Rita Moreno in the “Doc” role, albeit by different name. It makes sense why she would let both the sharks and jets in her store. And defend Anita. Also appropriate was the twist with Graziella protesting the abuse of Anita. Sometimes we can see the pain of someone we hate and can reach out to their need. It made sense because Gratzie knows who these boys are, and what they’re capable of. Gangs have initiations, and I wouldn’t put it past them if theirs was a gang rape.
The named characters are pitch perfect. Ariana is a star. Irrefutable, undeniably, nailed Anita. Her spirit, soul, and pinch of wisdom just a bit more than the gang members, and beautiful, seeing previous “Anita’s”, Chita and Rita, come through in her performance. Quintessential, truly.
Rachel Ziegler is just angelic as Maria. I believe her. She’s also not a pushover which I appreciate. She has the kind of face you would cross cultural boundaries for.
Chino is spot on, awkward, nerdy, exactly the person Bernardo would find for his little sister.
Making Bernardo a boxer is genius…it justifies his quickness to fighting in a way that in the stage play and previous movie made him seem a little less justified in his rage and actions.
Anybodys always felt like it was early trans representation in theatre, and I’m real glad the creators of this remake saw that too. Smart and correct.
Surprisingly Schrank and Krupke are more fleshed out and justified in their actions. They’re really just trying to keep the peace till Lincoln center can get built and they can move out of this particular beat. Schrank’s speech at the beginning, after the prologue fight to the Jets, makes so much more sense than picking on them for their parents and siblings failings, as in the stage script. Instead he asks why their families (immigrant stock too) never moved up and out of the slums. It’s a real question, and he doesn’t understand why they don’t want better than this turf that is disappearing anyway because of the building project.
I cried. And I’ve done the show. Seven years ago. I knew all the plot points…but I still cried.
This movie let me forget completely for three hours about real life. Exactly what theatre and film is supposed to do.
THIS is how we do remakes. This is the bar.
