542. The Greatest Showman; movie review

THE GREATEST SHOWMAN
Cert PG
105 mins

BBFC advice: Contains brief mild threat violence

Now that is what I call a movie. The highest compliment I can pay to The Greatest Showman is that it is better than La La Land which swept a bagful of Oscars last year.
This is a musical in the old-fashioned Oliver!, West Side story-style. Its songs are stirring, its storyline is engaging and its performances are top-notch.
The only quibble would be with its historical accuracy and that means it loses half a point - otherwise it would have been faultless.
It is astonishing that it is director Michael Gracey's first movie. Bravo to the studio director who gave him the chance.
Anyway, the excellent Hugh Jackman stars as P.T. Barnum, a tailor's son, who wants to make it big in New York.
Initially, he has no idea how he will make his fortune but it gradually dawns on him that he can make money out of working with those who are little bit different.

At the forefront of his 'circus' of oddities are a bearded lady (Keala Settle) who sings with Aretha-like passion and Tom Thumb, played by Sam Humphrey who has fought an against-the-odds battle in real life to forge an actor career, despite being only 127cm tall.
Backing up Barnum are his stoic wife (Michelle Williams) and two daughters (Austyn Johnson and Cameron Seeley) who all sing like angels and dance better than anyone on Strictly.
But, hey, the same could be said of all of the cast, which also includes Zac Efron, Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson.
The Greatest Showman is exotic and enthralling, albeit a tad cheesy and its pro-diversity message is one as relevant today as it was in the 19th century.
And it looks fabulous - from the depths of poverty and near-despair to the extravagant backdrop of the socialites, the detail is stunning.
But most of all, it wins with its music - I will be humming its soundtrack for weeks.

Reasons to watch: a superb motion picture experience
Reasons to avoid: a tad cheesy

Laughs: two
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 9.5/10

Star tweet

asrulmm Watch Pitch Perfect 3 if you're in the mood for light comedy and popular songs interpretations. Watch The Greatest Showman for a visually amazing musical, breathtaking dance choreography, good acting and powerful songs that you'll be humming for weeks to come

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