History Film / InTheHeights

** "Sunrise" plays as an instrumental over the discussion about Usnavi's parents' old, wrecked bar.

The film is about a tight-knit Latino community on the brink of change located in Washington Heights, New York. Creator/AnthonyRamos stars as Usnavi, a good-hearted bodega owner who dreams of returning to his native Dominican Republic despite his crush on aspiring fashion designer Vanessa (Creator/MelissaBarrera). Leslie Grace plays Nina, [[TheOneWhoMadeItOut considered the pride of the barrio]] for getting into Stanford, while Creator/CoreyHawkins plays Benny, Usnavi's best friend, Nina's love interest, and an employee of her father Kevin (Creator/JimmySmits). Rounding out the cast are [[Creator/DaphneRubinVega Daphne Rubin-Vega]] as Daniela and Creator/StephanieBeatriz as Carla, with Creator/OlgaMerediz reprising her Tony-nominated role as Abuela Claudia and Miranda as Piragua Guy (named "Mr. Piraguero").

* AscendedFanboy: [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaprbUcny-E In 2016]], Gregory Diaz IV rapped ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'' with Javier Muñoz (standby Broadway & national tour principal Usnavi). Five years later, they appeared together in ''In the Heights'' with Diaz playing Sonny and Muñoz cameoing.

* ProductionThrowback: A smooth jazz cover of "You'll Be Back" from Lin-Manuel Miranda[[note]]a producer with a RemakeCameo in this film[[/note]]'s previous work ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'' is used as the hold music when Kevin phones Stanford University.

* AdaptationalWealth: Downplayed. In the play, Usnavi is saving up to return to the Dominican Republic, and it's the winning lottery ticket that provides him the means to do so. While he isn't rich in the film, he's already saved up enough money by himself, and is even shown putting down a deposit on his father's old place before the lottery comes into play.

* BetaCouple: Benny and Nina. Unlike in the stage show where they have their own hurdles to confront like Usnavi and Vanessa (mainly the fact that Kevin dislikes Benny dating his daughter), here they get back together with little drama and Kevin has no issue with their relationship, in contrast to Usnavi and Vanessa's bumpy road to getting together.

** Writer Quiara Alegría Hudes is in the crowd of the finale.

* SettingUpdate: A minor example. The original show is set in the mid-2000s. The film shows characters using modern smartphones, has references to ''Film/JohnWick'' and ''Theatre/{{Hamilton}}'' and features a subplot involving DACA, placing it firmly in the latter half of TheNewTens.

--> '''Sonny''': [[spoiler:I knew I couldn’t get a license, but no college?]]
--> '''Nina''': [[spoiler:She was talking about [[TheIllegal undocumented kids.]]]]
--> '''Sonny:''' [[spoiler:''(stares at her before looking at the ground)'']]

** Sonny is the person who breaks the news of the [[spoiler:winning $96,000 lottery ticket]] to Usnavi. He immediately demands a cut of Usnavi's cut. Usnavi retorts that his cut is zero. [[spoiler:At the end of the movie, it's revealed that Claudia won the money and left it to Usnavi, who put the money towards Sonny's green card legal fees and the rest in a trust for the boy.]]

* NoSympathy: Zigzagged; when Nina reveals the real reason that [[spoiler: she dropped out-- her roommate accused her of stealing]], Kevin is horrified that [[PapaWolf someone would treat his daughter that way]], while insisting she did nothing wrong, and she can't let that stop her from finishing her career. [[spoiler: Benny intervenes because he understands Nina didn't want her dad to sell the business and get him laid off; he says Nina's concern is that at Stanford, no one was listening to her or letting her grow. Instead, they saw her as either a way to cross off their diversity checklist or a stereotype. Eventually, Nina eventually realizes her dad has a point that she can't let others define her, and decides to go back for sophomore year]].

--> '''Sonny:''' [[spoiler:''(stares at her before looking at the ground)]]'']]

* SlutShaming: Both Usnavi and Vanessa engage in this when confronted with an OperationJealousy. Usnavi angrily tells Vanessa that she was "shaking [[her]] ass for like half of the Heights" at the club, and Vanessa calls Yolanda a skank when Daniela tries to provoke her by saying that Usnavi allegedly had sex with Yolanda.

* SlutShaming: Both Usnavi and Vanessa engage in this when confronted with an OperationJealousy. Usnavi angrily tells Vanessa that she was "shaking her ass for like half of the Heights" at the club, and Vanessa calls Yolanda a skank when Daniela tries to provoke her by saying that Usnavi allegedly had sex with Yolanda.

* BigBrotherInstinct: Usnavi treats Sonny like his kid brother, with a mix of VitrolicBestBuds. [[spoiler:In the end, he pays for an immigration lawyer so that Sonny can start applying for a Green Card, silently asking why Sonny didn't tell him about his immigration status in the first place]].

* BigBrotherInstinct: Usnavi treats Sonny like his kid brother, with a mix of VitrolicBestBuds. [[spoiler:In the end, he pays for the fees so that Sonny can start applying for a Green Card, silently asking why Sonny didn't tell him about his immigration status in the first place]].

** Journalist Maria Hinojosa of Creator/{{NPR}}'s Latino USA is the woman giving the speech at the DACA rally.

The film was released via simultaneous theatrical and Creator/HBOMax on June 10, 2021.[[note]]Free advance screenings through select theater chains occurred on May 9, 2021, hence spoilers being available.[[/note]] [[https://youtu.be/U0CL-ZSuCrQ Trailer 1]], [[https://youtu.be/FlY-HzJ0kno "Washington Heights" Trailer]], [[https://youtu.be/lCYrqpng9QA "Powerful" Trailer]].

** In the stage version, Sonny and Graffiti Pete set off fireworks during the blackout as a way to distract and repel any of the looters who may be thinking of targeting the bodega. In the film, the looting is AdaptedOut so it's changed to the duo setting off the fireworks as a way to give the neighborhood some visibility in the darkness.