516: The Greatest Showman

[00:00:00] 223. Let's get to The Greatest Showman, which came out in 2017. It's directed by Michael

[00:00:13] Gracie, stars Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Austin

[00:00:20] Johnson, and the synopsis is, celebrates the birth of show business and tells of a

[00:00:29] visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.

[00:00:38] So I figured this would be a good bonus review because it is a standalone musical, seemed

[00:00:46] a good place as any considering it's not only a musical, it also has Hugh Jackman as well

[00:00:52] as being a period piece, etc. Well, I only got around to seeing this for the first time

[00:01:00] I think earlier this year, maybe late last year, and I rewatched it for this. And I really

[00:01:09] like how it didn't get three sequels, it's just a one hit wonder, in a manner of speaking.

[00:01:18] I didn't know really what to expect quality wise. I know that there were some big fans,

[00:01:24] there were some naysayers, went in fairly blind, though. I don't know much about P.T. Barnum,

[00:01:32] either, aside from the very basics, so I can't speak to what's true, what was changed. Flat out,

[00:01:41] I was so pleasantly surprised of how solid this film was. For one thing, one of the best musically,

[00:01:51] talking about the lyrics, I think all the songs were classic in nature, but they had enough modern

[00:01:58] tweaks and styles and rhythms to them to make them feel fresh. I could actually understand what all

[00:02:08] the actors were saying while they're singing, which is a rarity. And not only that, but I was

[00:02:15] very engaged, I was emotionally engaged, I was having fun, I was sad, like it's a very emotional,

[00:02:21] as silly as that might be to say. And sure, in some ways, it's looking at these things through

[00:02:29] rose-colored glasses. But there's only so many ways to present a film like this, a spectacle.

[00:02:38] It's Hollywood, so it's gonna be lavish, it's gonna be big. So I didn't really have a problem

[00:02:44] with it being a little bit more sentimental than it might otherwise be. Hugh Jackman is amazing,

[00:02:53] as he always is. Zach Efron, this was around the time of his Efron-a-sance, one of his bigger

[00:03:03] breakout roles. And I've been a fan of his for years, I think he's great, has great variety.

[00:03:13] The story of Barnum, of taking these people who would otherwise be thrown away, ignored by society,

[00:03:21] and bringing them to the spotlight. I appreciate that for what the context of the movie is,

[00:03:27] and for what the film is. I think it's done with the right intentions and the right heart.

[00:03:35] Making these people feel welcome, giving them, maybe not necessarily fame, but giving them pride,

[00:03:43] and showcasing their talents. Even in some ways, the Pollyanna nature of Barnum,

[00:03:52] he just is constantly optimistic and wanting to see the best in people, wanting to try even if he fails.

[00:04:03] Cinematography, lighting-wise, fantastic. The movie looks beautiful. A lot of natural colors,

[00:04:09] but it still feels vivid, just enough. A few standout songs, there's a lot. Usually I can only remember

[00:04:19] one or two numbers from musicals like this, but I feel like all of them stood out.

[00:04:27] They're separated enough to give you time to just live in the regular world, and then suddenly there's

[00:04:35] a huge set piece. The ending sequence, such a satisfying, fun, honestly a sensational

[00:04:46] climax to that. When sometimes movies like this can falter in the third act. Really, the third act is

[00:04:55] one of the best parts. The rewrite the stars song between Zac Efron and Zendaya. Rebecca Ferguson's

[00:05:09] character in her song, but also the romance or the flirtation between her and Hugh Jackman, which

[00:05:17] hurts his marriage and then also gets out in the press. The This Is Me song, I know is one of the more

[00:05:28] popular favorites. I feel like this movie is just a great example of showing the power or magic of

[00:05:42] musicals. When everything comes together, there's a million things going on in a scene, in a musical piece,

[00:05:49] and you just can't help but get wrapped up in it. And even that underdog story, I'm not trying to

[00:05:58] praise Barnum here. The underdog story within the narrative of him coming from nothing and wanting

[00:06:06] to marry Michelle Williams, who's come from a very wealthy, prestigious family. The father not being okay

[00:06:15] with it and saying, you're gonna be living on the street, basically, with this guy. Like, this is

[00:06:21] the wrong move, but in the end, the love between them is what carries it, and I bought that. I definitely

[00:06:31] will see myself going back to this every so often if I need a smile on my face. Definitely one of the

[00:06:39] best musicals of the 2010s. So that one is a heavy four out of five.

[00:06:50] So that's the best musical.

[00:06:51] And if you're younger, you can do a great musical.

[00:06:51] You