WEST SIDE STORY | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"WEST SIDE STORY"
(2021) (Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler) (PG-13)

QUICK TAKE:: Musical: A recently paroled gang leader tries to keep the peace between his gang and their rivals, but creates a problem when he starts dating the other leader's sister.

PLOT:

It's the 1950s and poorer sections of New York City are being redeveloped, thus leaving rival gangs with increasingly less turf to claim as theirs. Returning to that world is Tony (ANSEL ELGORT), the leader of the white Jets whose chief rivals are the Puerto Rican Sharks led by Bernardo (DAVID ALVAREZ). Tony's been in prison for the past year for beating up another gang member and has decided to turn over a new leaf in his life, much to the dismay of his number two, Riff (MIKE FAIST), who wants him to rejoin the gang and battle the Sharks.

Tony, who's taken a job working for local drugstore owner Valentina (RITA MORENO), wants no part of that, but gets talked into attending a dance where members from both gangs will be present. As is Maria (RACHEL ZEGLER) who lives with her brother, Bernardo, and his girlfriend, Anita (ARIANA DeBOSE), and is being set up at the dance with Chino (JOSH ANDRES RIVERA).

But when she and Tony lock eyes at the dance, it's love at first sight. That enrages Bernardo who makes a scene, with his actions setting up a scheduled rumble between the gangs. Tony wants to keep the peace, but his growing relationship with Maria creates further friction between the rival gangs, meaning their relationship could be in jeopardy.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of musicals and/or anyone in the cast, they probably will.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13: For some strong violence, strong language, thematic content, suggestive material and brief smoking.

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