The Greatest Showman (2017)

Release Date: 20 December, 2017


What's It About: American showman P.T. Barnum dreams of creating the ultimate show to wow and amaze audiences all over the world. He faces


The Good: This film is a musical, but the songs aren't too numerous and each one is very good. They blend into the film quite seamlessly and don't distract from the plot. There is a star-studded cast including Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams and Zendaya, who all offer entertaining and convincing performances.


The Bad: I went and did some reading about P.T. Barnum after seeing the film, since that's what I often do after watching a film about practically anything, and I discovered that this film actually glorifies his life to almost unbelievable levels, and places his contribution to entertainment as well as his personal life on a pedestal. How much of his life was manipulated is up for debate, but I feel that this is a highly fictionalized version of the character and heavily censors the more controversial aspects of his life. How much mileage this has is really up to you, and for many, this may not even be an issue.


Best Performance: Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum. Jackman is no stranger to musical films or films about 19th century stage entertainers, having worked on Les Misérables and The Prestige respectively. As always, Jackman brings us a convincing performance, as well as showcasing the singing skills he picked up on Les Mis.


Should I Watch It: A solid family-oriented film with enough to entertain all, The Greatest Showman certainly tries to live up to its name, exploring themes of family and friendship. The whole thing ends up being pretty cheesy but all in all it captures the spirit of films as entertainment and never lets us forget that. The songs are highly memorable and you may even find yourself listening to them in the car to and from work for a week after watching it.


Post-Credits Scene: No


Similar Films: Les Misérables (2012), La La Land (2016), The Prestige (2006)


Trailer: