The Greatest Showman

Sunday was my niece's birthday. 16. I invited her and two of her friends to do whatever they wanted. They chose to stay home, eat cake and watch The Greatest Showman on HBO and I thought Oh no. But, I had cake with them and sat to watch this Michael Gracy, who? Michael Gracy to see the story of PT Barnum with Hugh Jackman. Sentimental and pretty, yes but also, engrossing, moving, beautiful and structured in such a way that doesn't fall into the usual biopic traps. It moves at a breathless pace with smart and unexpected transitions. Hugh Jackman is great and Michelle Williams truthful to a fault. She's never less than that. What a wonderful actress. Zac Effron gives, what it may very well be, his most convincing performance and the Swedish actress Rebecca Ferguson was a revelation to me. The script by Jenny Bicks and the remarkable Bill Condon tells a classic tale with contemporary rhythms and contemporary pace. Needless to say, I enjoyed it much more that I could possibly had imagine. So, thank you Lilli, happy 16!

I have never written a movie review but I couldn't let this jewel of a movie be slammed by the cynical critics without saying how much I loved it. This was the perfect movie for our family on Christmas Day. Don't pay attention to the "professional" reviews; judge by the moviegoers who are praising the movie. It was moving, upbeat, and romantic. Can't say enough good things about it. Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, and Zendaya are all so talented. Go see it in the theater to really appreciate how magical this movie is.

To start off this review I'd like to say that before I ever watched this movie I had the opinion that it was going to be rubbish, solely because of how blown up the movie was. Everywhere I went it was "The Greatest Showman". I thought that perhaps it would be a mediocre film at best, blown out of proportion by a craze.

Boy was I wrong. Even at the beginning of the movie you are thrown straight into the extravagance of what the movie was about to become. What is basically the story of a simple man becoming a legend in the show-business, is the most flamboyant and breath-taken musical movie I've seen. The soundtrack for this movie is beyond brilliant. Having been impressed by Hugh Jackman's vocals in Les Miserable I was not surprised he pulls it out of the bag in this movie yet again. But Zac Efron really stood out in this movie and that truly surprised me.

When you finish this movie you will have the great songs stuck in your head, and you will be fully satisfied having finished the movie, your next plan will likely be getting the soundtrack and reliving the magic all over again.

I'm not a fan of musicals in general. Really I mostly can't see their appeal, but from time to time, I do find myself really enjoying one of them, especially if they are as well done as this. And the mid piece/song "This is me" is so good .. excellent! Superb! Any other great word you can think of. I had goosebumps listening to it.

Every song has its purpose (still of course you can question the why people would start just sing and dance as if they had choreographed it in advance - well they have, but you know what I mean) and it works. Be it the comedy numbers (Hugh and Zac in one instance in a bar just to name one example) or as dramatic pieces. Hugh has so much fun it transcends the screen ... if you are way worse with Musicals than me, maybe don't watch it .. otherwise give it a shot! But most definitely do listen to the song "This is me" ... phenomenal!

I have watched this film approximately twenty or more times. That is in no way an exaggeration and I may be low-calling it. Sometimes, I just have it on in the background while I work out or in the morning or while getting ready for work or I play it while cooking in the evening.

On a couple of occasions, I've even caught my boyfriend humming the tunes. To say the songs stick with you, is an understatement.

In fact, we've listened and watched it so much, that on every 20th Century Fox Movie "opening" sequence on any and all other subsequent 20th Century Fox movies we've watched, I automatically think of this one, and I am half expecting to see and hear the "Ah, ah, ahhh, ahh ..." and Hugh Jackman with his low "Ladies and Gents . . . ". Besides having a catchy and moving soundtrack, the film itself is a wonder to look at. The cinematography is beautiful, the costumes are well-done, and again, come on: HUGH JACKMAN singing and dancing. What could be better?

Well, for one, not better, but almost as great, is Rebecca Ferguson as Jenny Lind. The lady is gorgeous, and while she actually doesn't sing her rendition of "Never Enough" (Loren Allred does), the passion and zeal she brings to her onstage performance, is one for the books. I could literally (and have) replay that one scene over and over. Zac Efron and Hugh Jackman also have a duet which is fun and witty and very creatively done.

The only reason I did not give it a "10", is probably an unpopular view, and I know I will amass a hugh (not a typo :)) number of thumbs down, but oh well: I did not care for Zendaya AT ALL. I think she was so very miscast. I do not think she looked pretty in the film (although after filming, I saw her giving a couple of interviews and she looked beautiful); I thought she had absolutely zero chemistry with Zac Efron; and lastly, both her acting and her voice are like chalk grating on a blackboard to me. I think Logan Browning would have been cuter in the role. That's just me though, although it did affect my thoughts on the film and my score.

All in all, WATCH IT if you have not yet done so. It is beautiful to look at and a (modern) masterpiece to the ears.