In the Heights

The movie centers on social-justice and identity themes. Sonny's main story focuses entirely on his status as an undocumented immigrant. Nina's plot centers on feeling isolated and targeted at school because of her heritage. The film also adds a lesbian romance to highlight queer identity within the neighborhood.

The story criticizes American institutions. It shows the U.S. immigration system as unfair and hostile to young immigrants. It also portrays elite American colleges as places where minority students face bias. Additionally, the plot criticizes landlords and economic forces for pushing minority businesses out.

The film makes significant political changes to the original Broadway musical. The most notable change turns Daniela and Carla from business partners into a romantic lesbian couple. Sonny's storyline is also changed to focus on his undocumented status. This adds a modern political message about the Dreamer movement that was not in the original show.

Most of the public debate centered on left-wing complaints about a lack of dark-skinned lead actors. However, some conservative reviewers and viewers complained that the film was too woke. They argued that the movie focused too much on identity politics and felt like a lecture on progressive immigration policies.

The creative team has a strong track record of promoting social justice. Writer Quiara Alegría Hudes has an activist background focused on identity. Producers Jeffrey Seller and Jill Furman also have high scores for their work on progressive and feminist stage shows. Producer Lin-Manuel Miranda is also known for supporting activist causes.