I wanted to watch this movie first and foremost because of the long-take gymnasium scene that went viral on Twitter, knowing little about the original besides it being a slummy New York take on Romeo and Juliet. I still want to watch the original, but the most singular word I can use to describe this is production was competent: in direction, in choreography, in staging. The two leads do nothing for me (and the musical numbers do nothing to assuage my apathy towards Sondheim) but it was a pretty and smooth piece of work.

★★★