“In the Heights,” September 15

Tuesday, September 15, 7 p.m.

The Last Picture House, 325 East Second Street, Davenport IA

Presented as a special event in the Quad Cities Latino Cinema Series, and boasting a 94-percent "freshness" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film version of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway smash In the Heights enjoys a September 15 screening at Davenport venue The Last Picture House, the review aggregator calling the movie "a joyous celebration of heritage and community fueled by dazzling direction and singalong songs."

Over the course of In the Heights, audiences get to encounter the vivid residents of Washington Heights, a New York City neighborhood on the brink of change. Usnavi (Anthony Ramos), a first generation corner-bodega owner, and his friends and family are dealing with the pressures of rising rents and closing neighborhood businesses. As one family struggles to figure out how to pay for an Ivy League tuition for their brilliant and hard-working daughter, a young woman is trying to put a down payment on a new apartment, and Usnavi himself is trying to get back to the Dominican Republic to reconnect with his roots after the death of his parents. In Washington Heights, community is everything, and we see how each of these individuals struggles to survive, and how these same individuals come together as a community to mourn their losses and rejoice in their triumphs. The hard-working residents of Washington Heights grapple with love and lust, identity and racism, all while the prospect of a winning lottery ticket hangs in the air, potentially changing the livelihoods of the people and the community forever. Combining Latin rhythms and dance with hip-hop lyrics in song such as "96,000," "Paciencia y Fe," and the exuberant title tune, In the Heights tells a captivating story about what it means to chase your dreams as you cling to your roots.

With the film adapted from the long-running Broadway sensation that received 13 Tony Award nominations and earned four trophies including Best Musical, In the Heights is directed by Jon M. Chu, who would go on to further musical screen success with Wicked and Wicked: For Good. Although the film underperformed at the box office due to being released in the COVID-19 summer of 2021 when many cineplexes had limited hours or were closed altogether, In the Heights was a hit in its simultaneous debut on HBO Max, and critics were effusive in their praise. The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney said: "The movie glows with an abundance of love for its characters, their milieu and the pride with which they defend their cultural footprint against the encroaching forces of New York development that continually shove the marginalized further into the margins. The resilience with which the characters claim their place in the fabric of city life is exhilarating."

Indiewire's David Ehrlich, meanwhile, gave the film an A− rating, saying: "So exuberant and full of life that it would probably convince you the movies were back even if they hadn't gone anywhere, In the Heights is the kind of electrifying theatrical experience that people have been waxing nostalgic about ever since the pandemic began – the kind that it almost seemed like we might never get to enjoy again. ... Seeing this massive, guileless, heartfelt piece of Hollywood entertainment on the big screen is like coming home after a long year in exile only to find that it's still there, and maybe even better than you remembered."

With the feature co-presented by the Quad Cities Latino Cinema Series, In the Heights will be presented in Davenport on September 15 at 7 p.m., admission is $15, and more information and tickets are available by visiting LastPictureHouse.com.