In a capitalist society everyone has to fight for the life that they dream of, the life they yearn for. In 1840’s New York a man by the name of P.T. Barnum (Hugh Jackman) set a precedence for himself and his family that he plans to live up to, regardless of how much time and work it takes to get there. In 1842 Barnum, and his family--Charity (Michelle Williams), Caroline (Austyn Johnson) and Helen (Cameron Seely)--open a museum dedicated to trinkets and oddities. With initial failure, Barnum rounds up a number of talented “freaks” to headline his brilliant new show. Barnum, with his work cut out for him, attempts to silence the doubters and develop a comfortable, yet progressive, life for his family. Barnum plans to become The Greatest Showman.
I’d like to start this particular review off by expressing, with complete honesty, how much I typically dislike musicals. I often find that the songs present in musicals are either cheesy, overbearing or a combination of the two. I also find it difficult to look past the musical numbers and appreciate the story that drives these musicals, however, The Greatest Showman manages to get past the often simplistic nature of the music and present audiences with something more genuine and real. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (the masterminds behind the film’s music) manage to bring modernity to a nearly two-century old story. With a grand mix of sounds ranging from modern pop, to what could be considered bluegrass to things that sound like they might just scrape the surface of opera, The Greatest Showman attracts a multitude of audiences from all walks of life. It would almost be an insult to say that the music is good, because it is so much more than that; it’s moving, emotional and captivating. The performers (because they are more than just actors) light up the screen, project beautifully and move audiences in ways that, even in film, is difficult to do.
What helps to make the musical numbers so emotionally gripping is the seamless connection between the songs and the choreography. As the ensemble presents the world with songs like “This Is Me” and “A Million Dreams” (the song that dragged me to the edge of my seat and gave me a sense of hope and success), their dances, that similar to the songs--having great range--brought to life by Shannon Holtzappfel and Ashley Wallen, make those songs even more enjoyable. Through song and dance, viewers fall in love with the characters, the story and the overall film.
Jackman has a certain panache that is able to bring every single one of his performances to life in ways that others are just unable to. Even with as wonderfully talented as Jackman, Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zac Efron (Phillip Carlyle) are throughout The Greatest Showman, the others manage to steal the show from them. Performers like Zendaya (Anne Wheeler), Keala Settle (Lettie Lutz), Sam Humphrey (Tom Thumb) and others are truly wonderful from beginning to end. They possess abilities that some of the biggest names in Hollywood should hope for. They are energetic and passionate, bringing this story of misfits to life and making audiences feel the pain, the joy and camaraderie that the real life performers must have felt when going through this in the mid-1800’s.
There is one glaring issue that presents itself throughout The Greatest Showman, and that is the CGI. With characters like General Tom Thumb, the various animal acts and the other extravagant performances that play a role in what many might call a freakshow appear dreadfully fake. These visuals are sometimes hard to look past as they often take place in the forefront of a scene and the focus ends up directly on them.
Director Michael Gracey, along with his writers, Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon, find a sensational balance of Hollywood and reality that enables the story of P.T. Barnum to come to life in vibrant and extraordinary ways. The Greatest Showman, to those who tend to hate musicals (people like me), looks like it might be a disaster and that finding anything to appreciate within the film might be entirely too difficult a burden to carry. It is important that the people who think this way look past their bias and give the film a chance. Take the plunge, risk your sanity and accept that The Greatest Showman may be one of the greatest musicals of all time.
Directed by Michael Gracey. Written by Jenny Bicks & Bill Condon. Starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Zendaya, Keala Settle, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
Comentários