The Greatest Showman has Rewritten the Stars

Rating: 9/10 (17 January 2019)

The Greatest Showman is a cinematic wonder! Between the costumes and makeup, stunts and music, this movie truly is amazing. Michael Gracey, director from Australia, came up with a piece that only the right cast could pull off, and with talent like that of Zendaya, Hugh Jackman, and Zac Efron you can't go wrong. This movie revolves around a circus act, made up of people who are different and stand out in a crowd in ways that may make them seem to be outcasts. Hugh Jackman takes the lead role in playing a version of circus ringmaster, P.T. Barnum. Written by Bill Condon and Jenny Bicks (one of the producers of Sex and the City, as well as a well known TV director) Barnum is presented as a hero. A miracle worker to those who stand out, those who are different in the way they look, the way they act, and even the talents they possess. A large woman with a beard, would be least expected to have a voice as outstanding as Keala Settle's character does. The acrobatics performed by Zendaya and her casted brother hold unbelievable talent and ability. Jackman teaches them all to love themselves for who and what they are. The characters learn to find a sense of self worth and purpose within the work they receive from Barnum.
In this particular movie, the musical numbers are staged in such a bizarre and flamboyant manner that whilst watching this movie, you might forget to pay attention to whether the actual singing and dancing are actually any good. (They are extremely expressive and well done) Arranged by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek (also composers and writers of the songs in La La Land) these numbers have that showy overbearing quality that you hear in almost every Broadway show or musical, but they're harmless and the kind of catchy that gets stuck in your head.
If you choose to opt out of watching the debut of Michael Gracey's directing career, The Greatest Showman, it means you'll miss performances like Zendaya, a wonder woman with almost cotton candy like hair who spins and twirls with careful yet frivolous precision with a hanging rope; Anne Wheeler, who creates an amazing performance as a trapeze artist. She becomes somewhat of a main character, her swift and natural beauty luring in Efron's character Philip. One of the most iconic musical numbers from this film, Rewrite the Stars, Anne expresses her love for Philip as well as her desire for him to accept and stand up for what he believes in. To stand up and defend her, no matter her race or social class. Efron's character however, spends more time in sheer awe of her beauty and simplicity rather than acting on any emotion. He's completely stunned by her.
As all things eventually do, the circus crashed after a massive fire was started, mid street brawl. Barnum's fraudulent and borrowed successes, their pride, their pedestal, it all went up in flames. Gracey (director) made clear efforts to show the effect that this crash had on not only the circus, but the town. A grey filter overtook the happiness in the scene, the mood changed to a more somber tone. They became the laughing stock of the town, people began to ridicule them. Barnum had lost his business, the support of the people, and after recent events at an show across the globe, his wife had temporarily left to clear her mind. All of the 'misfits' follow closely behind Barnum as he sulks his way to the town saloon to drink away his losses, and as they realize they all still have each other, we hear a song with true meaning. Starting out with a solo part by Hugh Jackman, "From Now On" a song, slow and melancholy, again with that very gray and depressing color overtaking the scene, is at first an indirect apology to his wife and all of the circus for letting them down. It slowly picks up, and the scene starts to have color and life again. He slowly starts to talk about his successes and how *those were someone else's dreams* while realizing that everything he had gone through had given his life a purpose and made him happy. *a man learns who is there for him when the glitter fades and the walls won't hold* This song turns into a drinking song, the energy in the bar becomes uncontainable and they start to sing and dance with Barnum on his way out the door, as he continues singing lead while running down the sidewalk.
Slowly we start to see the sunset's golden glow from behind the clouds, the life is returning to the town as people begin to walk out of their stores and homes and onto the streets. Gracey uses color to help show the mood in this film, as commonly done in many different movies, and it helps you relate emotionally to what's going on during the film. His appropriate use of color in this particular film allow the audience to experience the happiness and excitement during the shows P.T. Barnum puts on, as well as the sadness and strength of the 'misfits' when they walk through the crowds of angry, disapproving people who want peace, quiet and normalcy in their town. Scenes with bright color are typically the scenes with high energy and they're the highlights of the film, in this case, the shows and dances that kids try to copy at home and the songs they go home singing. The scenes with a seemingly drained lighting are those like the circus after the fire had destroyed its walls and spirit inside them. Like Barnum and his fellow employees in the beginning, when everyone was laid off, before Barnum started fraudulently climbing his way to the top of success; both scenes with a very somber mood.
Ultimately, the immense and utter cinematic skill used to put together the amazing, The Greatest Showman is remarkable. This puts previous attempts like the 1934, The Mighty Barnum and A Lady's Morals of 1930 almost to shame. And while the ideas and creativity are similar to that of The Great and Powerful Oz, this film has something that Oz does not, and that is the ability to feel as if you are inside the movie itself. The Greatest Showman captures its audience and takes them on every journey along with the characters and the stories and adventures they make come to life. The best kinds of movies are able to captivate their audience a lot like Gracey's work with this film, and he did an outstanding job.