--- title: "West Side Story: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/west-side-story/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/west-side-story" critics_score: 82 critics_reviews: 14 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # West Side Story (1961): what the critics said Critics' score 82 from 14 reviews: 12 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics are in agreement: twelve of the fourteen notices are positive and none is negative. The praise gathers around Jerome Robbins’s choreography, with the Cool and America numbers picked out, and around the Bernstein and Sondheim songs. Reviewers also credit Robert Wise’s direction, Daniel L. Fapp’s photography and the colour of the costumes, and single out Natalie Wood, Rita Moreno and George Chakiris among the cast. The reservations concern what happens between the dance numbers. Several critics find the dialogue scenes flat and the central romance thin, and a few note the dubbed vocals and casting choices as compromises of their era. The two mixed notices are both recent: Slant finds the leads uneven and the politics heavy-handed, and The AV Club thinks much of it has dated badly while still calling the dancing thrilling. The spread runs from a low of fifty to several top marks, but the middle is firmly admiring. ## Radio Times — Tony Sloman Rating 5/5. The critic hails the electrifying and moving version of the Bernstein/Sondheim musical, an update of Romeo and Juliet set in late-1950s New York gangs, which earned ten Oscars plus a special award for Jerome Robbins’s choreography. Performances by George Chakiris, Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer are praised, along with co-director Robert Wise’s experience with musicals. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-p56s2l/west-side-story/) ## Los Angeles Times — Philip K. Scheuer Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 October 1961. Scheuer hails the film as restoring glory to Hollywood with its powerful impact, brilliant choreography, and tense drama on juvenile delinquency. He singles out the music, dance numbers, and performances by the gang members and leads like Wood and Moreno for praise. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-west-side-story-review-19611214-snap-story.html) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 October 2021. The 1961 film remains a blinder that is formally electric, musically alive and emotionally pummelling, with bodies in motion used to shape and dictate the film’s own rhythm in a way never seen before. Its Saul Bass opening credits and Robbins’s choreography, especially in numbers like Cool and America, keep it agile, athletic and crisply modern even at 60. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/oct/18/west-side-story-60-dazzlingly-modern-musical) ## The Hollywood Reporter — James Powers Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 October 2016. The critic calls it a magnificent milestone in movie musicals that has never been bettered, with fluid tandem direction by Wise and Robbins creating a harmonious whole and standout performances, especially from Natalie Wood. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/west-side-story-1961-film-939258/) ## The New York Times — Bosley Crowther Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 22 October 1961. Crowther calls the film a thrilling cinematic achievement that advances the sophistication of the musical genre through its vivid translation of the stage material. He highlights the strong performances, especially by Natalie Wood and Rita Moreno, and the superb dancing. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1961/10/22/archives/musical-advance-the-west-side-story-expands-on-screen.html) ## Variety — Whitney Williams Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 September 1961. Williams describes the film as a beautifully mounted, impressive and violent musical that powerfully translates the Broadway hit with realism and spectacle. He praises the direction, choreography, score, and performances, especially the gang members' dancing and menace. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1961/film/reviews/west-side-story-3-1200420009/) ## Empire — Kim Newman Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2011. The critic views the film as a classic musical despite some production compromises like dubbed vocals and casting choices. Standout elements include the hit songs, electric choreography, and the vibrant 'America' sequence. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-west-side-story-review/) ## Time Out — David Jenkins Rating 4/5. 13 September 2011. The critic praises this restored fiftieth-anniversary re-release of the classic musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet set among 1950s New York gangs. The euphoric dance sequences, ultra-melodic tunes, neo-expressionist production design and forceful cinematography are singled out for praise, though the linking dramatic scenes fall flat and the central romance remains underdeveloped. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/west-side-story) ## Evening Standard Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 10 April 2012. The review notes the film's reissue as a long but fortunate production with strong performances and song-and-dance numbers. It has only half the vitality of the stage show yet remains a classic. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/west-side-story-review-7426706.html) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 February 2004. Ebert praises the choreography of Jerome Robbins, the Bernstein-Sondheim songs, and the performances of Rita Moreno and George Chakiris as standout elements. He views the film as containing great things in parts but not a fully cohesive classic by modern standards. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-west-side-story-1961) ## The AV Club — Tom Breihan Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 3 May 2019. The piece notes that much of the film has not aged well due to dated elements, casting issues, and clumsy social messaging, but singles out the spectacular, gravity-defying choreography and dance sequences as timeless and thrilling. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/not-all-of-west-side-story-has-aged-gracefully-but-its-1834224976) ## Slant Magazine — Chris Cabin Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 5 December 2011. The review finds the film a dutiful, entertaining adaptation with strong direction, choreography, color, and music that make set pieces work, but notes it is only moderately successful emotionally due to uneven lead performances and on-the-nose politics. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/west-side-story/) ## Collider — Nico Nico Rating A. 30 December 2011. The critic calls the film the perfect movie musical thanks to its brilliant choreography, the combined musical talents of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, and the technical craftsmanship of director Robert Wise and DP Daniel L. Fapp. The review highlights the color-popping wardrobe, emotionally evocative angles, and standout performances, especially from Natalie Wood, Rita Moreno, and the dancers. [Read the review](https://collider.com/west-side-story-50th-anniversary-blu-ray-review/) ## Eye for Film — Andrew Robertson Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 27 January 2022. The critic praises how the film leverages cinematic techniques and Jerome Robbins' choreography to deliver surprises and energy that still grip viewers. It notes the defining performances and how the work achieves both artistic and popular success despite dated elements. [Read the review](http://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/west-side-story-1961-film-review-by-andrew-robertson) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/west-side-story.md