The Greatest Showman
2.5/5
Directed by: Michael Gracey
Rated: PG
In New York City in the year 1841 American showman Phineas Taylor Barnum created the most extravagant form of live theatre the world had ever seen, Barnum's Circus. Full of acrobats, oddities and animals, no one before Barnum had attempted to create such a show, and few have since been able to capture Barnum's display of magic and wonder. Over 100 years later, up and coming director Michael Gracey decided he would direct his first film and dare to capture the thrills and fantasies behind the creation of Barnum's circus and the feeling of witnessing Barnum's original productions. The culmination of his efforts and his cast and crew's have brought audiences the fun and enjoyable musical The Greatest Showman.According to 20th Century Fox, The Greatest Showman director Gracey and lead performer Hugh Jackman have been developing this film for seven years. Gracey's debut film is best described as a musical spectacular. The main headline singers are Jackman, playing the overly positive day dreaming family man wearing the greatest jacket and top hat combo P.T. Barnum, Michelle Williams, as his ever loving and always graceful wife Charity Barnum, and Keala Settle, as the big voiced bearded woman Lettie Lutz. With these remarkable performances also come a few weaker performances, such as Zac Efron, Zendaya, and Rebecca Ferguson (who had a voice double provided by Loren Allred), but these performers' lack of showmanship is not due to their lack of trying.
Every member of The Greatest Showman's cast puts their feet forward to show off some nifty choreography aided by the help of digital trickery. It is just that there are certain cast members who either could not get a hang of the dances or could not dance much to begin with, and so they are carefully kept at the edge of the frame or just off screen. Though the film may at times feel like an ensemble piece, the complete cast is rarely seen one frame, and it seems cast members compete against each other to prove which one of them is the greatest showman. Unfortunately there are often clear cut winners and losers.
This tightrope act between winners and losers is most present in The Greatest Showman's screenplay. The film has a strong start, introducing its characters, illustrating the film's atmosphere and literally reaching out and pulling audiences into its parade of color and music. Somewhere after the 30 minute mark, the film introduces a few subplots that demand screen time over the film's main story. These subplots eventually win out as the protagonists become relatively passive, and spend the majority of the film's second act singing and talking about what they will do or should be doing, instead of doing it. In the film's favor, though, the lessons and dreams that the protagonists are pondering are wholesome, worthwhile and important virtues that family audiences will appreciate, such as the importance of self acceptance, the pursuit of good will and how to live a greater life than what the people of the world say is good. By the time it seems the film will continue for another half hour, it abruptly concludes with everyone learning a valuable lesson and singing a big finale. Though this is corny and a bit surprising, this feel good ending allows viewers the ability to leave the film feeling uplifted and happy.
It is important noting that this film is intended to be an entertaining musical and not a factual biographical retelling of the life of P.T. Barnum. Since this film's goal is not accuracy but enjoyment, whether The Greatest Showman is a good retelling of historical events is irrelevant. For my readers who are curious how accurate this film is, feel free to click this link to historyvhollywood.com's article on The Greatest Showman.
As The Greatest Showman is a musical, audiences should expect this film to consist mostly of song and dance numbers. There are 11 songs and reprises in The Greatest Showman, and all of the lyrics were written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, acclaimed lyricists of La la Land. The songs are well done, but they tend to overlap, as they are all about chasing a dream, whether it be making a family, creating a production, discovering yourself, owning the riches of the world or falling in love. A standout from the rest of The Greatest Showman's soundtrack is the self embracing and heart rallying chorus number "This is Me." Featuring a powerful solo performance from Keala Settle and strong resound from the rest of the cast, it is no wonder this song is a Golden Globe winner.
Though the music in this film is well done, its integration in the film's story can at times feel jarring and could become irritating to some audience members. As these songs fit into the pop genre, the verses tend to repeat themselves quite often and all the songs are either unreasonably catchy or somewhat forgettable. This film's soundtrack could lead to one of two audience reactions; audience members leave the film spreading their arms wide open and singing along loud and proud, or they leave the film halfway through after telling it "shut up" over and over again. For fans of musicals and show tunes, The Greatest Showman is here to whisk them away to a world of sights, sounds and wonder. For audiences who do not like or are indifferent towards this angle of theatre, it would be best for them to either wait and see this film on home release or skip this one entirely.
Verdict: The Greatest Showman is an entertaining film that families can enjoy together, featuring a bright eyed cast, well written pop songs and important life lessons, but this film may suit some viewers better if they wait to see it on home release.
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