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Movie Review: The Greatest Showman

Scott Davis

Entertainment is a wonderful thing. Whether it’s going to the movies, a concert, or even the circus, people have this innate desire to see something that will bring joy to their lives. Entertainment forms have certainly changed over time, but the bottom line remains: people want to experience some form of escapism, whether it is in front of a theater screen, in a concert venue, or around the circus ring. That belief is at the heart of The Greatest Showman, the newest musical starring a man who has given us many opportunities to experience escapism—Hugh Jackman. Musicals have entertained the moviegoing audiences for decades, but the genre seems to be having a renaissance in modern Hollywood with the massive success of last year’s La La Land (2016), and now this big-budgeted spectacle, and it’s easy to see why. In an age where large-scale blockbusters dominate the box office, audiences crave something a little more old-fashioned. The Greatest Showman gives audiences that old-fashioned entertainment with show stopping music, excellent choreography, impressive production design, and a cast at the top of their game.

The Greatest Showman focuses on the rise of one of the first show business entertainers, P.T. Barnum (Jackman). While the movie is based on his story, the movie does not get too bogged down in the details. It shows the audiences the essentials; how he meets his wife (Michelle Williams), how he acquires the space for his circus, and the struggles he faces trying to reach his dream of being the greatest entertainer in the world. Before the audience starts asking too many logistical or plot related questions, the movie quickly moves to the next song and the audience begins tapping their feet. If you’re looking for a history lesson on P.T. Barnum, this probably won’t paint the whole picture, but The Greatest Showman does enough to get us entertainingly from one song to the next.

That’s the one thing everyone should know about this movie: it is a musical first and foremost, and everything else is build up to the next big musical number. The songs are impressively written (two of the writers also received credit for co-writing some of the song’s in La La Land) and do a good job of advancing the plot without being overbearing with information (Les Misérables [2012]). This movie isn’t as thematically rich as many of the classic musicals, but it doesn’t have to be. The film’s production design paired with the joyful songs and entertaining choreography more than make up for any of the plot’s shortcomings. It should also be noted that this film is rated PG, not PG-13 like La La Land or Les Misérables, and the simplicity of the plot make this an even more appealing family movie.

Much like Damien Chazelle proved with La La Land last year, The Greatest Showman’s director, Michael Gracey, shows that you don’t have to be an experienced director to pull off an entertaining musical. This is Gracey’s first feature-length film and he does a marvelous job directing this seemingly enormous project. He’s able to capture the excitement and energy of going to a circus during the big musical numbers, but not everything is always big during the set pieces. There are numbers that take place in one location with one or two characters, and Gracey films those scenes with precision as well. Hopefully, this film puts the Australian director on the map and we see more from him in the future.

Hugh Jackman in “The Greatest Showman.”

Last, but certainly not least, the cast of this movie absolutely elevates all these elements to new heights. We all know Hugh Jackman is insanely talented, and The Greatest Showman showcases his range as both an actor and performer. There are many times where his work here is reminiscent of The Prestige (2006), but he blends his performance perfectly into the film’s breezy tone. Michelle Williams has always been a critical darling, hopefully a bigger movie like this will make her a household name. Rounding out the film’s impressive performances are Zac Efron and Zendaya, two of Hollywood’s hottest up-and-coming talents. Efron has had plenty of experience in musicals, and The Greatest Showman just shows his talent isn’t limited to Disney Channel musicals. Zendaya was thrusted into the mainstream after this year’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, and this should continue her winning streak.

Overall, The Greatest Showman might not be the greatest show on Earth, but it is an immensely entertaining one. Great music, fun set pieces, impressive direction, and a cast mixed with beloved performers and the industry’s best up-and-coming talent make for a great family holiday experience. It might not delve into P.T. Barnum’s life as deeply as some might like it to, but that won’t matter when the whole family is tapping their toes to the music. So, step right up to The Greatest Showman and experience the season’s most joyous movie.

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Scott Davis

Scott Davis is a recent graduate of Oakland University where he earned a degree in journalism. He worked for the student newspaper on campus, The Oakland Post, where he became the paper's managing editor. He also earned a minor in Cinema Studies at OU. Scott enjoys all things film and TV related, especially the blockbuster kind. He might be the biggest Christopher Nolan fan you know.
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