I always find that there is something missing in a musical without an audience. No clapping or cheering at the end of a big production number, and here there are plenty of those. Maybe too many? I had forgotten that West Side Story is mostly song and dance and much less dialogue. But I did love the orchestration, especially those hints of a big number up next. I liked the performances of Rita Moreno as Valentina and Ariana De Bose as Anita. But I felt the leads were unconvincing. Steven Spielberg's direction was impressive and full of verve, but overall I found the experience unengaging.
Although I found the story unexciting, the script and the acting made this an enjoyable movie. Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy were on top form, and despite criticism of Andrea Risborough, I though she was terrific in an Oscar worthy supporting role. The period setting looked gorgeous and the costumes first rate. It probably looked better than it actually was. Wain was famous for his pictures of cats.
I think I have seen just about every film from Paul Thomas Anderson and this was up there with his best. A bitter sweet coming of age movie, and not just for fifteen year old Gary Valentine played by Cooper Hoffman, but also for twenty five year old Alana, with Alana Haim hugely impressive in her first main role. (the whole family of Haims are in there somewhere). There are times she acts more like fifteen and Gary twenty five. Their platonic relationship is obviously going to have it's ups and downs, but this is a completely sweet natured and funny movie. Among the huge cast there are cameos from Sean Penn, Bradley Cooper and a totally bonkers Tom Waits. The soundtrack is completely amazing, representing some of the best of early seventies tracks. Not all to my taste but some crackers amongst the many tunes. And great incidental music from Johnny Greenwood. Peter Bradshaw in The Guardian gave it five stars and I would not argue with that.
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