20 Best Movies Of 2021 (So Far)
7. In The Heights
Jon M. Chu's adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Tony-winning musical is as vibrant and full-of-life as films get - a stylish, emotionally resonant, and superbly performed celebration of Latino culture.
If you can forgive the slightly overbaked 143-minute runtime, In the Heights is a riotous examination of the ups and downs of the American Dream, and what that aged term even means in the modern day.
The performances - particularly from Anthony Ramos, Leslie Grace, Melissa Barrera, and Corey Hawkins - are pure knockouts, while Chu makes the most of the cinematic medium to deliver creative reinterpretations of the musical's most beloved tracks.
While it won't change anyone's mind about the movie musical, it is a great example of how accessible the genre can be in skilled enough hands.