Wednesday, March 7, 2018

The Greatest Showman (2017) REVIEW


The Greatest Showman (2017) - REVIEW




This one surprised me.  I didn’t even realize it was a musical when I sat down at the theater. The acting is a pleasure to behold.  The story is told via song romance and drama coming together so well some may say it was epic.  There are multiple layers and relationships within the film as well as flashbacks revealed in such a way you feel the emotion & find yourself drifting into the film.  It’s a ride you want to take with its twists and turns.

"Without promotion, something terrible happens...nothing!" – P. T. Barnum

Directed by Michael Gracey, this film is pure entertainment with music by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.  It shows us unity in diversity.   Cary Grant, who had a rough childhood, relays the following: "The Saturday matinee was in full swing when I arrived backstage; and there I suddenly found my inarticulate self in a dazzling land of smiling, jostling people wearing and not wearing all sorts of costumes and doing all sorts of clever things. And that’s when I knew! What other life could there be but that of an actor? They happily traveled and toured. They were classless, cheerful, and carefree. They gaily laughed, lived, and loved." 



A wonderful scene "A Million Dreams" the young and poor Barnum befriends a well-bred little girl named Charity, and they dream of creating their own destiny. Michelle Williams is exhilarating how she tosses herself into thin air, knowing Jackman will catch her. She shows a strength of her own in the film that must be watched to be appreciated. 

The real standout is "Rewrite the Stars," the love song between Efron and Zendaya, taking place in the empty circus tent, when she flies on the trapeze far above him, and he tries to climb up the ropes to meet her. You can feel the sparks.


Ordinary folks have always confounded the critics who can’t understand why some things are popular.  Barnum, with a knowing smile, explains to a skeptic, "People come to my show for the pleasure of being hoodwinked." 



No comments:

Post a Comment