Spoiler Alert! It’s hard to put in actual words how we feel about this movie simply because it surpasses the mainstream standard. While the decision to cast Hugh Jackman as The Greatest Showman may have been enough to get audiences into the cinema theaters, all the hype surrounding the film is completely justified.
To begin with, we love the fact that it’s based on a true story. The extent to which it actually resembles P. T. Barnum’s real-life events – we don’t really know, but we can all agree that it’s definitely a story worth telling in a musical format! A troupe of freaky-looking underdogs recruited to perform in P. T. Barnum’s Grand Traveling Museum, Menagerie, Caravan & Hippodrome as a huge circus phenomenon – who doesn’t want to see that on a big screen?
The song that stood out to us most was Jenny Lind’s performance of “Never Enough”, when she sang for the first time in front of Barnum. The scene was chock-full of emotion. Loren Allred’s voice was nothing short of hypnotic. On top of that, you have Barnum looking at her like she’s the best thing that ever happened to him as his wife watches his reaction. If that wasn’t intense enough, you also watch Phillip (Zac Efron) finally hold Anne’s (Zendaya’s) hand and just as you start getting excited about it, he lets go because he becomes ashamed to be with her in front of his parents. We all related to Anne’s riposte when she walked off feeling more hurt than ever.
Apart from that scene, the thrill of Anne and Phillip’s blooming romance is undeniable. We love that it depicted a bigger story than just a pretty couple that fell in love and it has enough tension to make us feel like it’s a real story between a real couple. Zac and Zendaya’s chemistry was effortless and we couldn’t help but be downright impressed with their passionate duet and trapeze choreography!
Hugh Jackman’s performance was also exceptionally beautiful. His voice and his attire were so on-point that you can easily conclude that no one else could pull off Barnum’s character as well he did. His reputation in Hollywood for being a man of integrity and good morals is also a perfect fit for his character’s development in the film’s narrative.
Another significant figure in the film is Lettie Lutz, the Bearded Lady. She unofficially stands out as the leader of the “freaks”, and to our surprise, she very much existed in real life! After having lived in shame for the way she looks for such a long time, she has finally had enough and breaks out into powerful song. Everyone who’s watched the movie knows that particular scene by heart. It resonates with any girl who has dealt with negative body image, and emphasizes the breakthrough of not needing to look a certain way to be beautiful. Either that or it was a subtle reference to the transgender community. We’re not sure.
One block we stumbled upon was the sudden turnaround in the plot when Barnum simply changed his mind about his attachment to fame and success and began to look at his troupe as family. Everything else seemed to magically fall into place after that point and you find yourself, as a viewer, taken out of that suture binding you to the narrative within the movie. In other words, you remember that you are in a cinema theater watching a movie you paid for instead of being fully immersed in the story because it suddenly stopped feeling like a real-life experience.
We have to give credit where it’s due, though. For the most part, you will be emotionally invested in what everyone is going through in the film. Your heart will break with the troupe’s when they get bullied and when they lose their “home”. Let’s not even get started about how dramatic this scene was! We actually watch the grand theater first light on fire and then proceed to crumble miserably to the ground. After that, we watch them rally at a bar and raise their glasses as a declaration of their victory over circumstances.
If you’re not into musicals, you will still love this film! The music and overall mood is upbeat and very engaging, and the remarkably executed plot is definitely worth your time.
Two more soundtracks worth mentioning are “This Is Me” and “From Now On”. Watch their candid versions here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLFEvHWD_NE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PluaPvhkIMU
By Sarah Guirguis
