West Side Story

So i'm currently watching the movie and I already have a few points to cover. So, first off I have a love/hate relationship with musicals. Why? well I grew up in the performing arts world, so I have been dancing since I was about three years old. Seeing all of the choreography really made me feel a certain way that i'm not dancing anymore and it was nice to see how the dance world has evolved yet at the same time stayed the same in some ways. Anyways thats not the whole point of watching this movie. The reason for me hating it is because pretty much all musicals have the same plot lines, a love story. Don't get me wrong, I love a good love story from time to time. For this particular one however, I like it more than Romeo and Juliet because it is more relatable to my personal experiences, I guess.

For example, Romeo and Juliet was based on a time period far back in time. (Tony just said I love you to Maria and I just said impossible! out loud). So it's hard to imagine myself in a situation like theirs. However, West Side Story is based off gangs of different race-hispanic and white. So because I am hispanic it's a lot easier to put myself in their shoes because of the cultural traditions and expectations hispanics have. It's like watching my own family going through all of this, which is really funny because I can see which family members are who in the musical.

Now that i've finished the movie, the main thing I like about West Side Story over Romeo and Juliet is how it has more realistic qualities to it. Maria is poor,  has a job, and doesn't kill herself. They made Tony have a job and be a leader of a gang, while Romeo was rich and kills himself. Instead of telling a story of rich children with extravagant situations, they based it off of minority groups in this situation. What really made me mad about West Side Story is why in the world would Maria forgive Tony so soon?? He killed her brother! I wouldn't be able to love someone after that but I guess " love over powers that". I guess it's true when they say love makes you do stupid things. Like forgive the guy who killed your own brother.