The Five Times I Cried During In the Heights (2021)

If you haven't seen any portion of In the Heights and wish to remain unspoiled before you see the film (or original musical) yourself, then I'd recommend you click out of this article right now. Beware, there be spoilers.

Before Hamilton, Lin-Manuel Miranda made a name for himself with the creation of In the Heights, a musical ode to Washington Heights in New York City. The musical was nominated for thirteen Tony awards and came away with wins including Best Musical.

Since Lin-Manuel Miranda's works are a hot commodity these days, of course the day came where In the Heights made the jump to the silver screen. Directed by Jon M. Chu (of Crazy Rich Asians fame), the film centers on a young man named Usnavi, his little bodega in Washington Heights, and the colorful cast of characters who populate the neighborhood.

While I'm a fan of Hamilton, I had no idea how I would jive with In the Heights. With the movie adaptation finally being released in June 2021, I decided to give it a chance and see if I could find a new favorite musical story to add to my list.

And I came away with tears in my popcorn because ow, my heart, it hurts so much for these characters. I wanted to scoop them up one by one and tell them everything would be okay—because that's what I would want someone to do for me.

If you're interested, here are the five moments that tugged at my heartstrings (and turned on my waterworks) in the movie adaptation of In the Heights.

"Breathe"

I smile at the faces

I've known all my life

They regard me with pride

And everyone's sweet

They say, "You're going places"

So how can I say that while I was away

I had so much to hide?

Usnavi's neighborhood friend and defacto "little sister" stand-in Nina perhaps has one of the most relatable stories in the realm of In the Heights. You look at this girl, a Stanford student, and she's so beautiful, all the while clearly adored by the people of Washington Heights. She's their little bird that flew away from the nest, yet she struggles to fly as she bears the weight of everyone else's expectations. She's the hope of this New York City community.

Nina's song gut-punched me as the lyrics unfurled. I'm not a woman of color, but I felt my heart pinch in my chest as I watched her walk through her old haunts and look so lost even as people welcomed her home. She's caught in between two worlds, and the pressure from both is getting to her.

Tears started leaking from my eyes before I could even think to stop and take a breath. I'm at a point in my own life where everyone expects me to be on my "path to success," yet I feel so far from reaching any great heights. And it's not a matter of having no talent, drive, or ambition. Sometimes even having those things doesn't guarantee a path ahead.

In this scene, I just felt the despair and listlessness so deeply, going past any racial and/or cultural lines.

"It Won't Be Long Now"

As I sweep the curb I can hear those turbo engines blazing a trail through the sky

I look up and think about the years gone by

But one day—I'm walkin' to JFK and I'm gonna fly!

It won't be long now!

Any day...

Vanessa's performance goes through a "day in the life" montage, from her apartment by the train tracks to her walk down a street (and being catcalled, of course) to her daily grind as a salon worker. Each line of the lyrics palpitate with her "I Want" narrative thread. And you start feeling her every strained emotion with wanting to grow bigger than her current trappings.

I've listened to this song on the Original Broadway Cast recording, and there's a difference in the way the film delivers this thread of Vanessa's story. Rather than ending on a hopeful note, Vanessa seems so mournful as she sings, "It won't be long now...any day..."

I often wonder where I'm going in my life—and whether I'm staying or trying to run somewhere else. I know that sense of feeling trapped in your circumstances. And, before I knew it, I was tearing up because I too feel I can offer the world so much yet the opportunities keep disappearing as soon as I try to grasp them.

Vanessa, I hear you, girl.

Abuela’s Death

Claudia, affectionately referred to as "Abuela" by everyone in Washington Heights, is framed as the "glue" in the community. When a blackout occurs across the neighborhood, it is her apartment where people crowd and try to while away the time without electricity. Finally, when she goes to rest, she is watching over her found family from afar...

Until her vision sets her in a subway station which seems much like a metaphor for her life, as relayed in her song, "Paciencia y Fe," which she sings through the sequence. The lyrics follow her journey from Cuba to the United States—as well as how she and her mother were treated in the jobs they took to survive and support themselves.

The scene is stark yet powerful, to the point that—even as I knew the end was coming—I still could not prepare myself for the moment she walks into the light and, not much later, Usnavi finds her and realizes she has passed on.

Death is no one's friend, yet even so you do realize that Abuela left behind a lot of love and a community she fostered and supported.

But, yeah, quite the tearjerker indeed. *sniffles*

Sonny’s Undocumented Immigrant Status

Sonny was one of my favorite characters in the film, and I adored his smart-aleck tendencies even as he helped to bring Usnavi and Vanessa together. He's a kid you want to see succeed.

The rug is pulled out from under you, though, when you realize this boy may not have such a long future in the United States.

While I realize Sonny's arc about being in the U.S. illegally is a movie add-on, I found it so heartbreaking when he walks away from a rally for Dreamers and just looks so numb as he utters that he never realized college probably wasn't an option for him. Even a scene a half-hour earlier becomes more relevant as you realize why Sonny has always been paid in cash by Usnavi at the bodega.

I think this new plot line helps ground the current immigration struggle of the real world, especially since it's easy to judge the faceless crowd—but what about when you see a kid wondering if he'll always just be fighting to survive because of politics and technicalities? It's something to think about.

And I cried for both the fictional and real-life repercussions.

The Ending

I won't spoil the ending in detail for you, but this story doesn't go exactly as you think it might. There are surprises, there is warmth, there is laughter, and there are happy endings—or, rather, happy becomings.

I just wanted to see this Washington Heights crowd find their ways in a future that, though always uncertain, still offers a little thing called hope.

The ending is the perfect bookend to a movie that tugged and pulled at the emotions until, finally, there was catharsis.

And my tears? I guess they were just another price of my admission to the theater.

If you're at all interested in In the Heights, check out the trailer below and get lost in the sights and sounds of the Washington Heights crowd. I don't think you'll regret it.

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