Washington Heights
Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment | Release Date: May 9, 2003 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
65
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 14 Critic Reviews
Positive:
8
Mixed:
6
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
90
The New RepublicStanley Kauffmann
Washington Heights, under De Villa's guidance, bubbles. Once more, as in comparable films, it creates a foreign nexus in a domestic setting -- a group of people who live in two cultures. Read full review
88
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Made in a forthright, unfancy style and utilizing a cast of born naturals, Washington Heights deftly draws parallels between father and son's complicated relationship and the tensions that pulse through this predominantly Dominican American community. Read full review
80
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
This well-paced film's realistic style and authentic locales are a perfect fit for the characters and their story. Read full review
80
Film ThreatMerle Bertrand
A powerful no-frills drama. It's a film that never flinches from its colorful, if sometimes cruel namesake neighborhood and the people who populate it. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
De Villa's debut film is persuasively written and acted, if a tad rougher around the edges than one might wish. Read full review
70
Village VoiceEdward Crouse
One-upping Latino immigrant movies like "Luminarias" and "Tortilla Soup," Washington Heights zeroes in on go-getters (mostly of Dominican lineage) whose ambitions are transformed by familial demands. Read full review
63
New York PostMegan Lehmann
De Villa has created a truthful representation of a colorful community. Read full review
63
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
Buoyed by strong performances from Perez and Miami-resident Milian, Washington Heights overcomes the familiarity of its premise through its passion and conviction. Read full review
60
VarietyRonnie Scheib
Believable characters trump the retread plot and hokey message. Read full review
60
The New York TimesStephen Holden
For all its untidiness, Washington Heights teems with life, and its star, Mr. Perez, has charisma to burn. The movie vividly depicts the interdependence and solidarity of people in working-class urban neighborhoods where residents really need one another. Read full review
60
TV Guide MagazineKen Fox
Not surprisingly, the film is strongest when its characters are simply hanging out, shooting the breeze and venting their feelings, while moments of high drama occasionally fall flat. Read full review
60
SalonStephanie Zacharek
Alfredo de Villa's Washington Heights feels stiff and overworked in places, and sometimes the acting is a bit awkward. And yet the story is both compelling and easy to identify with. Read full review
58
Portland OregonianKim Morgan
The performances are uniformly fine, with Perez showing a heavy amount of presence and complexity. It's no wonder the film works best when fixed on his face. Read full review
50
L.A. WeeklyChuck Wilson
Promising yet problematic. Read full review
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