In the Heights hit theaters & I am here to share our full synopsis & impression as well as give parents an insight into is In the Heights kid friendly?
Disclosure: I was invited to attend the screening for In the Heights. All opinions are my own?
In the Heights
I am a HUGE Lin Manuel Miranda fan. I have been since the start of Hamilton. I think the work that he creates and his approach to musical theater as well as movies has been incredible and he is nothing short of a genius. His recent theatrical release, “In the Heights”, gives viewers a glimpse into a story of sacrifice, love and the vibrant Latin community of Washington Heights.
In the Heights is about a tight-knit community set in Washington Heights in New York. It follows a cute bodega owner, Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) as he saves every penny he has to move back home and rebuild his father’s legacy. This vibrant community is about to undergo massive change and In the Heights tells their stories, triumphs and challenges.
My Impression of In the Heights
I had VERY high expectations for this movie. I want to get that out of the way because, my impression of In the Heights was that it was too long. I liked the storyline and I feel like it is a story that needs to be told. I love the culture, I love the cast, however, the runtime of 143 minutes just made the entire story drag out far too long.
The music itself is very on point with Lin Manuel Miranda’s style of upbeat and catchy, with moments of rapping and telling a story that brings viewers in. I personally enjoyed the story and although I did feel that it was drug out, I did love the imagery, the characters, the music and the dancing.
I also love that In the Heights approaches tough subjects from undocumented immigrants and DREAMERS, to racism and gentrification. These characters undergo internal struggles and tell the story of immigration and the American dream beautifully.
Is In the Heights Kid Friendly?
We hadn’t been in a theater since February of 2020 and since my kids also love Hamilton and Moana, I felt like even with a PG-13 rating that In the Heights would be just fine for our kids to see.
I was asked a couple times if In the Heights was kid friendly and I would say that that is dependent on your child and your comfort level with mild profanities as well as some suggestive scenes. When I say suggestive scenes, I am referring more to innuendos that can move quickly.
There are a couple scenes where they are singing about who is sleeping with who as well as one portion where there is discussion of a men’s genitalia, but I will tell you that my kids didn’t even notice that and were only paying attention to the dancing and colorful scenery. The clothing can be a little low cut and there is latin dancing which is sexual and romantic. If you find those things to be too much for your children, keep them home, otherwise, expose your children to this culture, to these stories and to this beautiful musical.