West Side Story

I have somehow managed to avoid seeing any version West Side Story until now. Perhaps I was subconsciously waiting for the definitive version to be released, but honestly I had little interest in seeing any version, and always felt that I was sufficiently culturally informed without subjecting myself to the entire play/movie. I knew that the story was based on Romeo and Juliet (I have seen Baz Luhrmann's film version of that play). I knew that it had two rival gangs, the Sharks and the Jets (I was hopeful that the hero was named Bennie, but I was kind of fuzzy on that point). And, I had heard "I Feel Pretty" in that Nike ad a few years back, so it's like I'd already seen the movie a hundred times. Now that I have seen the most recent film version, I don't believe that my cultural condition has improved, but I can now say that "I've seen West Side Story". It's my understanding that Steven Spielberg decided to make this version of West Side Story because he loved the play in his youth, and believed that it had a relevant message to convey. While Spielberg's version of West Side Story is technically flawless, which should surprise no one, it is missing something that keeps it from achieving greatness: originality.  I can say this without hesitation, even though I have limited knowledge of the source material, because every aspect of the film felt constrained.  The characters' depth, motiviations, dialogue, and especially the singing felt like it was happening as planned, and didn't flow naturally.  The result of Spielberg taking such a mechanical approach is that you never forget that you're watching an adaptation of a play.  I would have preferred an adaptation that sought to convey the spirit of the source material, yet take full advantage of the film medium and Spielberg's mastery thereof.

As I have watched, and discussed a number of the other films nominated for Best Picture this year, a common theme has been revealed: formulaic films being treated as original constructs by a new generation of film critics.  As I write about a movie like Don't Look Up, and films like CODA and King Richard in the coming days, my point will become clearer, but the general gist is that I've come to realize that there are two distinct types of film viewers:  those who already know the story and are interested in how it's told, and those who've never seen the story before.  I've seen West Side Story hundreds of times before, and to my disappointment, Spielberg's version didn't give me a good reason to have seen it again.