The Greatest Showman

 

The Greatest Showman is a 2017 musical starring Hugh Jackman. It is a drama set in 1870s New York, loosely based on P. T. Barnum’s life and his infamous circus.

The plot was engaging and the script was well written. "A man's station is limited only by his imagination" was a quote in the movie that stuck out to me. It perfectly summed up the story. Themes around embracing what makes you unique, breaking free of the boxes society puts you in, and the sacrifices one makes to achieve their dreams were all prevalent throughout the film.

The soundtrack was catchy with a number of great singers. I also enjoyed the dance choreography; it was light hearted and creative.

I appreciated seeing a very diverse and talented cast. It was a great mix of star power and quite a few unknowns as well. One of the people I haven't seen before, who particularly stood out was Keala Settle who played Lettie Lutz. She was a great addition to the cast; not only a fantastic singer but also just a really relatable character. Someone who was hidden in the shadows her entire life, but when given the opportunity to be herself, she showed brightly. Hugh Jackman did a great job in the lead role. Jackman's character was complicated, incredibly charismatic which made him likeable but at times he was also quite selfish. He and Michelle Williams had great chemistry. Zendaya and Zac Efron also worked well off of one another. Their characters had a cute story that I wish the writers would have spent a little more time on it. Rebecca Ferguson was an interesting addition, I’ve only seen in her medieval or action roles, so it was refreshing to see her do something very different. The only other critique I have is just that I would have liked more character development for the entire cast.

Overall, this was a great, family friendly film. If you are looking for a fun, uplifting "celebration of humanity" I would recommend checking this one out.