The Greatest Showman

Musicals, you either love them or hate them. In any case they always end up being nominated on the awards lists for all the singing and dancing. First time director Michael Gracey manages to get a kinetic energy rolling, but there is a synthetic aura to the scenes. It moves quickly, visually entrancing with it's colorful costuming and set dressing. Songs somewhat awkwardly a times burst out at odd moments. Maybe it's the script by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon that keeps this production moving slowly and without true purpose. The themes of achieving one's dreams, finding family, racism, socialism and conservative backlash are all very worthy in this day in age, come and go not really sticking in brain to make any difference. Then again it may be the music by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul who won an Oscar for La La Land. Some of the numbers are quite lovely, but the tunes don't seem to stay with you after the movie.

The ultimate dance man Hugh Jackman, proves that he can be more suave without claws. Playing PT Barnum the first name of the American circus, started out by offering people a look at the strange and odd. The story covers how his poverty as the son of a fabric salesman, pushes him to dream big and how he goes off to prove himself for the hand of the rich girl he met as a child. Promising his wife Charity (Michelle Williams) a good life comparable to the one she left behind he comes up with his big plans. Although Charity and their two daughters are happy with their lives even if they are poor. They have each other. Betting it all on the his American Museum, his success goes up and down as his ability to sell his show of oddities. Soon he enlists the help of playwright Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron) who Barnum hopes will attract the upper crust of society. Carlyle has his social values challenged by becoming attracted to mixed race trapeze artist, Anne (Zendaya). Despite their ever growing audience, Barnum is still wanting to get the approval of theater critic (Paul Sparks) who calls his show a lie, and Barnum is a "humbug". Enter Jenny Lind (Rebecca Ferguson) a Swedish vocalist that has been taking Europe by storm. He goes into debt to book a tour in America, hoping to gain some some legitimacy as a promoter. Unfortunately, he begins to lose it all, even his wife and daughters.

Barnum is not really a likable character. He's so self involved and single minded that he ignores the people who are the stars of his shows and the reason why he's now rich. The circus people are far more interesting than Barnum. Even Carlyle, who lost the respect of his family fares better and is able to keep the show together. The story moves too quickly at times, with the music popping up constantly and sometimes when you least expect it. But overall, it's fun, and beautiful to behold even if you don't quite remember the music afterwards.
(Review by reesa)