Washington Heights (2002)
I'm beginning to think I'm old and
jaded. I don't know. "Washington Heights" isn't a
bad film, but it didn't seem like a really good one
to me either. It concerns Cubanos in urban America.
Maybe there's an ignored niche audience who would
enjoy this film. It all seemed like pretty typical
stuff to me.
Carlos is a alternative comics artist
and is trying to get his worked published. His friend
in the biz wont show his work around. He thinks Carlos
has talent but his stories don't have any realism
or emotional resonance. Carlos' father runs the local
Cubano "bodaga" (convenience store) but gets shot
during a robbery and Carlos has to take care of him.
Carlos' best friend, a white guy, wants to bowl in
a prestigious tournament but needs $3,000 for an entry
fee. Carlos has a girlfriend but all this pressure
in the other areas of his life isn't helping their
relationship. Then there's backroom money loans, pressure
to pay them back and a robbery of a his girlfriend's
brother to contend with. It's all pretty standard
stuff and we see where this film is headed every second
of the way. (Do you think Carlos might end up with
some life experience?)
Another problem with this film, and
Oh God, I know I'm gonna get shit for this, is that
the lead actor can't act. He looks like the poor man's
John Leguizamo but unlike Leguizamo, he can't play
a heterosexual convincingly. (I know. Sorry). I just
never believed this guy as the character he played
for a second. The other actors do pretty well but
they're stuck in a rather ho-hum and standard film
that gives them little room to grow and show.
The film looks pretty good, if typical,
with lots of street shots utilizing shaky hand-held
and lots of "NYPD Blue" style transitions and establishing
shots. There's also plenty of ethnic music to give
the film the proper "flava."
"Washington Heights" doesn't reach
any new heights but it doesn't sink to the level of
trite or ridiculous either. It just sort of lays there.
"Washington Sea Level" might be a more appropriate
title. I never did figure out, while watching the
film, exactly where "Washington Heights" was anyway.
