Did We Really Need “West Side Story (2021)”?

Revising a classic may reform its problems, but Spielberg spins a misunderstood retelling of a story that should be left in the past

When I was about ten years old, I bought a copy of the original West Side Story film cast recording from the local record shop down the street for $1 during a clearance sale. In the following months, I listened to the soundtrack nonstop, and it wasn’t long before I knew every note of Bernstein’s score by heart. West Side Story was a catalyst for my love of musicals, as well as film in general. 

That being said, Spielberg’s remake contains almost none of the magic that Robert Wise’s original did. It’s an unnecessary cash grab that drags on for hours and drains all of the energy out of the classic musical numbers. Even those with the most basic knowledge of film should understand that a musical cannot succeed without a compelling audio-visual landscape, and West Side Story does not deliver. The washed-out color grading is unappealing and makes the viewer feel uneasy as they watch. Unlike the original film’s opening prologue (shot on the streets of New York City), this movie opens with a painfully green-screened lens flare fest with disjointed editing and poor sound mixing. The sound issues remain persistent throughout the film and are most noticeable during the large musical numbers, where voices are jumbled, and instrumentals are totally lost at times.

From an acting perspective, the film also falls short. The cast is a collection of big-name Hollywood actors and Broadway stars, which is a decent way to tackle the casting of a movie musical. This method allows the leading roles to be filled with recognizable A-listers while the dance-heavy supporting roles can be taken on by stage actors with proper experience. But it is only functional until you take into account the different acting styles that film and stage require. Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler’s performances are much more suited for the movie, while Mike Faist and Ben Cook are animated and over-the-top because that is the standard for modern stage musicals. This phenomenon is not the fault of an individual actor, and this disjointed feeling can most likely be boiled down to Spielberg's poor direction. 

Then, of course, there is the conversation of the social issues present in the film. The original is now infamous for its unfortunate choices (darkening actors’ skin, casting white actors as Latino characters, etc.). This film attempts to correct some of the past pitfalls and succeeds at times, but it feels blunt and mediocre at others. The character of Anybodys, a trans man who wants to find a place within the Jets, is given direct recognition and an actual character arc, which is an improvement from the original. However, both versions of the character are simply a product of the times they were made. The worst social commentary in this film comes when the Jets attempt to rape Anita. After Rita Moreno delivers a stern talking-to to the perpetrators (introducing an intriguing parallel between her character and the character she played in the original film), the situation is quickly forgotten by the narrative, and left unresolved.

Despite the blatant and frequent negatives, this film does excel at parts. The choreography pays tribute to Jerome Robbins' classic moves with a modern twist, and all of the characters are clad in some of the best costumes of the year. Ariana DeBose bridges the gap between stage and screen acting with an incredible performance, and she is complimented beautifully by Rita Moreno, who sings the most moving song of the show. Unfortunately, even the best parts of the movie are not redeeming. Overall, West Side Story is a disappointing attempt at modernizing a classic. It should serve as a reminder to let good things exist as they are, without trying to reform or redo their problematic aspects. 

OVERALL SCORE: 5/10

West Side Story was released on December 10, 2021 and is currently in US theaters.