REVIEW: THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
We really don't deserve Hugh Jackman. He's made nine on-screen appearances as Wolverine, including his most recent/final/best outing in James Mangold's Logan this year. With almost decades with the claws on, I'm glad to see him usher in a new era of his career as P.T. Barnum in Michael Gracy's The Greatest Showman. An original musical with the music team Pasek and Paul, fresh off Oscar wins for La La Land, I was excited to see Jackman in the lead. His Jean Valjean, whose veins we got to see in full throttle in Les Miz, was an intense revelation, a testament to the fact that Jackman can beat up bad guys but also belt out tunes. And though it might appear that this is his sole vehicle, there's a lot of talent that gets introduced in The Greatest Showman, and for the most part this movie delivers.
First, it's important to direct you to the film's Rotten Tomatoes page. It seems to have the opposite problem of The Last Jedi, which notoriously has a 91% critical approval rating but (as of 1/2/18) an evenly split 50% approval rating from critics. Greatest Showman sits at an extremely average 55%, but 90% of audience goers loved it. This seems to be one of the finest cases of life imitating art. The film chronicles P.T. Barnum's struggle to get by and then meteoric rise to fame/infamy. His critics, personified by "House of Cards" alum Paul Sparks, are dismissive of his "circus," but the audiences eat it up. Like its subject, Greatest Showman aims to please with big, inspiring musical numbers, not-so-subtle takes on racism and classism, and an infectiously positive attitude.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's the moment you've waited for" whispers Jackman hiding behind the stands of the pulsating crowd. The film delivers on the promise of spectacle, providing a breakout for the best bearded lady I've seen onscreen since Kathy Bates' Emmy-nominated turn on "American Horror Story", Keala Settle. She is a tender presence, commanding respect, and gets to belt her heart out in the movie's unofficial anthem "This is Me." Zendaya, who impressed me with her Disney-persona-shedding role in Spider-Man: Homecoming floored me with her duet "Rewrite the Stars" with Zac Efron, who finally does not play a douchebag in another Hollywood film. Their rope-dangling musical number was the highlight for me. Jackman is strong as the lead, and after reading this was his passion project, the sweat and tears are particularly evident.
I'm not going to grade this movie because I don't want to discourage you from seeing it. I saw this movie on Christmas Eve in a South Carolinian theater, and right before it started director Gracy and Jackman appeared before us, thanking the audience for coming out to see an original film, the kinds that don't get made as often as they used to in Tinsel Town. Greatest Showman is extremely predictable stuff, but its heart is in the right place, and I want to encourage anyone reading this to go see it, because it's pretty hard to dislike. Support original movies this New Year, go see The Greatest Showman!
First, it's important to direct you to the film's Rotten Tomatoes page. It seems to have the opposite problem of The Last Jedi, which notoriously has a 91% critical approval rating but (as of 1/2/18) an evenly split 50% approval rating from critics. Greatest Showman sits at an extremely average 55%, but 90% of audience goers loved it. This seems to be one of the finest cases of life imitating art. The film chronicles P.T. Barnum's struggle to get by and then meteoric rise to fame/infamy. His critics, personified by "House of Cards" alum Paul Sparks, are dismissive of his "circus," but the audiences eat it up. Like its subject, Greatest Showman aims to please with big, inspiring musical numbers, not-so-subtle takes on racism and classism, and an infectiously positive attitude.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it's the moment you've waited for" whispers Jackman hiding behind the stands of the pulsating crowd. The film delivers on the promise of spectacle, providing a breakout for the best bearded lady I've seen onscreen since Kathy Bates' Emmy-nominated turn on "American Horror Story", Keala Settle. She is a tender presence, commanding respect, and gets to belt her heart out in the movie's unofficial anthem "This is Me." Zendaya, who impressed me with her Disney-persona-shedding role in Spider-Man: Homecoming floored me with her duet "Rewrite the Stars" with Zac Efron, who finally does not play a douchebag in another Hollywood film. Their rope-dangling musical number was the highlight for me. Jackman is strong as the lead, and after reading this was his passion project, the sweat and tears are particularly evident.I'm not going to grade this movie because I don't want to discourage you from seeing it. I saw this movie on Christmas Eve in a South Carolinian theater, and right before it started director Gracy and Jackman appeared before us, thanking the audience for coming out to see an original film, the kinds that don't get made as often as they used to in Tinsel Town. Greatest Showman is extremely predictable stuff, but its heart is in the right place, and I want to encourage anyone reading this to go see it, because it's pretty hard to dislike. Support original movies this New Year, go see The Greatest Showman!
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