Yesterday, as I was emailing around, asking critics from major trades if they had seen PTA’s “Licorice Pizza” (none had), one of them replied to my message this way:
“No, I haven’t. Surely, it’ll be screened before the Spielberg, which I’m hearing has 20th century biting its nails in fear of backlash.”
The conversation went on, but I fear this seasoned trade critic is right. What is 20th Century going to do with Spielberg’s “West Side Story”? The film has been in the can for well over a year now and there was no reason for it to skip any of the fall festivals.
Of course, the backlash this film critic is referring has to do with two primary issues currently plaguing the film’s marketing campaign: the first is “canceled” lead actor Ansel Elgort and the second is representation. The latter concern has been accentuated ever since the well-reviewed “In the Heights” ended up getting fed to the dogs of Twitter earlier this summer, all due to lack of Latinx representation in the film and accusations of “colorism.”
The fact that a “white guy” is directing “West Side Story” will surely heat up a debate, yet again.
Meanwhile, Elgort was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old. A Twitter user named Gabby claimed she was left “sobbing in pain” during the alleged assault and insisted: “He made me think this is how sex was supposed to be… I WASNT there in that moment mentally (sic). I disassociated myself and just felt like my mind was gone I was in shock I couldn’t leave.” He’s been MIA ever since.
It was already a major risk remaking the beloved 1961 classic, but its $100 million budget truly stands out as something of a concern for 20th Century Studios, as they will very likely need film critics to push this film into public approval. However, look at where glowing reviews brought “In the Heights.”
The short version: "Woman Unknown" was a compromise. The jury deadlocked over "Possible Love" and "NAZA," not able to com to terms, fell back on their #3, May el-Toukhy's film.