zing street

OUT NOW CINEMAS

This is a vaccine for your soul,” director Jon M. Chu promised of his ebullient, high-energy, big-screen adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Tony-award winning 2007 musical about young Latino New Yorkers chasing their dreams in a tough neighbourhood.

It turns out to be more Berocca than Pfizer, a fizzy, feelgood outing of a film that’s a jolly post-pandemic pick-me- up, if not a world-beater. Pumping up Miranda’s sweet and simple story of corner-shop owner Usnavi (a tender Anthony skills turn upbeat numbers like block-dance party ‘Carnivale del Barrio’ into glossy, high-colour fiestas, the film struggles to keep the show’s original Frank Capra-ish community feel, its tight focus and warmth.