A few days ago, Michelle and I ventured out in the cold for a movie day. We each chose a film and hers was The Greatest Showman. It’s been out a little over a week now and I think that The Greatest Showman is one of those movies that you need to see in the theater to get the full atmosphere of the picture. So, check out my The Greatest Showman review and let me know if you agree, disagree, or any other thoughts you might have in the comments below.
“The Greatest Showman” is a bold and original musical that celebrates the birth of show business and the sense of wonder we feel when dreams come to life. Inspired by the ambition and imagination of P.T. Barnum, “The Greatest Showman” tells the story of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a mesmerizing spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. “The Greatest Showman” is directed by exciting new filmmaker, Michael Gracey, with songs by Academy Award® winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land”) and starring Academy Award nominee Hugh Jackman. Jackman is joined by Zac Efron, Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya.
Spoiler Free The Greatest Showman Review
I think that Hugh Jackman put on a fabulous performance, perhaps the best that I have seen him in. He is such a talented man who can sing, dance, act – I really am amazed by the way he can surprise me still with his capabilities after years of seeing him on the big screen. Even if you care nothing about the story of PT Barnum, it really is worth it to invest the time to watch The Greatest Showman just to see Jackman’s performance. We have lots of good actors and a few great ones but, in my opinion, Hugh Jackman is a step above most. His performance in this movie is stellar and I would even go so far as to call him the Frank Sinatra or Fred Astaire of our generation.
Zac Efron did a good job, too. I particularly loved the song and dance scene with him and Jackman in the bar. I think they worked well together and Efron could hold his own against Jackman which says a lot about this young actor. Efron is funny and I do like him in movies like “Neighbors,” but I enjoy him more in movies like this that really showcase his many talents and range.
I found the storyline between Barnum and Jenny Lind to be particularly interesting. When Lind was singing [amazingly, I might add] the tension between Lind, Barnum and his wife was so palpable, yet so subtle, it came off brilliantly in the movie. I have to say that I felt pretty tense watching it all unfold. After witnessing firsthand the way Barnum looked at Lind, I understand why Barnum’s wife made the decisions she did in the movie.
As far as the story goes, at first, I felt bad about PT Barnum’s willingness to showcase the differences and uniqueness in our society in a way that felt exploitative to me. This made it hard for me to feel empathy or attachment for PT Barnum’s storyline. However, the more I watched as the story unfolded, I came to realize that the people that I felt Barnum had taken advantage of also gained a family that loved and accepted them, not in spite of their uniqueness, but because of it. So, perhaps PT Barnum gave them what even many of their own families would not: a home.
The Greatest Showman was the best movie that I watched this week, and in quite some time, actually. The choreography was beautiful and the performances were brilliant, especially from Jackman. I also really enjoyed the surprise that was Zendaya. I am not really familiar with her aside from seeing her red carpet appearance pictures so I wasn’t sure what to expect from her. I look forward to seeing her in more movies soon.
