#19 - West Side Story movie review

Sing along with Tyler & I as we review West Side Story

West Side Story is a 2021 American musical film directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg from a screenplay by Tony Kushner. It is the second feature-length adaptation of the 1957 stage musical of the same name.[9][10] It stars Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler (in her feature film debut) with Ariana DeBose, David Alvarez, Mike Faist, and Rita Moreno in supporting roles. Moreno, who starred in the 1961 film adaptation, also served as an executive producer, alongside Kushner.[3] The film features music composed by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

The film entered development in 2014 at 20th Century Fox[11] and Kushner began writing the screenplay in 2017.[12] In January 2018, Spielberg was hired and casting began that September. Justin Peck choreographed the dance sequences. Filming began in July 2019 and wrapped up two months later. Principal photography occurred in New York and New Jersey. The film is dedicated to Spielberg's father, Arnold Spielberg.