Box Office Bombs Of The 2020s That Are Actually Worth Watching

After the smash success of «Hamilton» on Broadway and Disney+, it seemed reasonable to expect Lin-Manuel Miranda’s first musical, «In the Heights,» to also be popular once it made the jump to the big screen. Alas, this was not the case, as the film couldn’t recoup its budget. Some observers speculated the slump in ticket sales was because movie musicals no longer have the same sway over audiences. Of course, the fact that the film debuted simultaneously on HBO Max may also have something to do with it.

With an excellent cast and a Rotten Tomatoes score well over 90%, «In the Heights» deserved better. The film is largely faithful to the Broadway musical, though it does make a few additions. For one, there’s a framing device where Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) shares his story with his daughter. Additionally, the reveal that Usnavi’s brother, Sonny (Gregory Diaz IV), is an undocumented immigrant (a detail not in the original musical) adds a whole new layer to his character.

The film takes full advantage of its medium, translating the iconic dance numbers into visually dazzling sequences on the big screen. The biggest highlights are «Patience y Fe,» which captures the entire life of Abuela Claudia (Olga Merediz) in a single song, and the awe-inspiring scene where Nina (Leslie Grace) and Benny (Corey Hawkins) dance up the side of a building. These are moments that can only be done on the screen.