Washington Heights (2002)

79% of critics liked it
(38 reviews)
57% of users liked it
(442 ratings)

Carlos (Manny Perez) is a talented artist who draws comics for a living. He's desperate to move out of his Washington Heights neighborhood. His girlfriend, Maggie (Andrea Navedo) feels more connected to the neighborhood. She's not so eager to leave. Carlos's best friend, Mickey (Danny Hoch), works… More Carlos (Manny Perez) is a talented artist who draws comics for a living. He's desperate to move out of his Washington Heights neighborhood. His girlfriend, Maggie (Andrea Navedo) feels more connected to the neighborhood. She's not so eager to leave. Carlos's best friend, Mickey (Danny Hoch), works as a super in the building his father owns, but he dreams of being a professional bowler. He's scheming to raise three grand to enter an open tournament in Las Vegas. Carlos's father, Eddie (accomplished Cuban-born actor Tomas Milian, who starred in Michelangelo Antonioni's Indentificazione di una donna), owns a neighborhood grocery store, and is well-liked in the neighborhood for his friendly way of doing business. Despite his advanced age, he's also a ladies' man, and was so even before Carlos's mother passed away. His philandering ways account for a lot of the tension between father and son. Carlos wants to draw his own comic book, but his boss, David (David Zayas) tells him that while he's got technical ability, his work is soulless. But Carlos's plans for the future are disrupted when Eddie is shot and critically wounded during a robbery at the store. Carlos resentfully takes care of his ailing father, and runs the store until Eddie can go back to work. Carlos's growing understanding of his community, and his father's importance to it, is reflected in his work, and he has a creative breakthrough. Meanwhile, Mickey's moneymaking schemes get him into trouble with Angel (Bobby Cannavale), Maggie's gangster brother. Washington Heights was directed by Alfredo De Villa, who wrote the script with Nat Moss. Novelist Junot Diaz (Drown) wrote additional dialogue. The film was shown at the 2002 Urbanworld Film Festival, and at the 2002 Tribeca Film Festival, where it received a Special Mention. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 20 min.
Directed By: Alfredo De Villa
Written By: Alfredo De Villa, Nat Moss
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: May 9, 2002 Wide
On DVD: Nov 4, 2003
Studio: Mac Releasing

Critic Reviews

Jane Sumner, Dallas Morning News
A promising debut that makes us anticipate this Columbia University film grad's sophomore work.
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Washington Heights is sloppy and often undernourished, but it convincingly creates a neighborhood throbbing with activity and caring.
Michael Booth, Denver Post
Deserves a wide audience hungry for sympathetic, three-dimensional people caught up in something bigger than themselves.
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
Washington Heights may not always be great, but director Alfredo de Villa lights an undeniable fire in the movie's belly.
Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times
A fine and absorbing film.
Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
Director de Villa captures the rhythms and colors, the sounds and flavor of the neighborhood that gives this movie its name.
Matt Kelemen, Las Vegas CityLife
De Villa has a light touch that instills the film with a certain charm that saves the day
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
A solid effort by the talented de Villa in his directorial debut.
Kim Morgan, Oregonian
The performances are uniformly fine, with Perez showing a heavy amount of presence and complexity.
Josh Bell, Las Vegas Weekly
The film has an urgency and assured street-level realism that is rare for any film, let alone one by a first-time director.
John A. Nesbit, ToxicUniverse.com
may just inspire more people traveling Manhattan's red line to get off at 191st St. and check out the bodegas
Frank Swietek, One Guy's Opinion
An affecting reworking of a traditional story, told with passion, sensitivity, and a little clumsiness.
Beth Wood, San Diego Union-Tribune
The genuine affection Washington Heights displays for the Manhattan neighborhood of the same name can't make up for its lack of originality.
Cherryl Dawson and Leigh Ann Palone, TheMovieChicks.com
The performances are good... but they're just 2-dimensional people living in a 3-dimensional world.
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald
Buoyed by strong performances from Perez and Miami-resident Milian, Washington Heights overcomes the familiarity of its premise through its passion and conviction.