West Side Story Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

Downs...

3. The Changes Won't Please Everyone

Despite the near-perfect template of the '61 film, Spielberg's new take isn't a straight-up remake by any means, and though the filmmaker and writer Tony Kushner make a lot of smart changes, not everything is going to work for everyone.

Probably the most controversial difference from the first movie is the decision to move "I Feel Pretty" much further back, such that it actually occurs after the iconic rumble between the Jets and the Sharks.

While this is more faithful to the original play, it does result in a jarring bout of mood whiplash, as we're flung from the heartbreak of the rumble's outcome to Maria's (Rachel Zegler) chirpy song almost immediately afterwards.

There are other changes of setting, structure, and tone that will divide musical purists in particular, though general audiences likely won't take much issue at all with most of Spielberg's revisions.