A show for the ages - and all ages

Rating: 7/10 (8 April 2018)

As cinematic musicals experience a sort of renaissance, it can't be expected that every film will be equally beloved by critics and audiences alike. 'The Greatest Showman' is a prime example of this.
The conflicted, unorthodox life story of one of this country's most prolific entertainers - P.T. Barnum - is set against a full soundtrack of rising numbers featuring full choruses and classic-meets-new age music. While the public - including families - more or less fell in love with this ensemble, leading to an over-performance at the box office, the Rotten Tomatoes crowd were less impressed.
For one, 'Showman' features an identifiable pop culture icon (Barnum), bankable stars (Jackman, Efron, Williams, Zendaya) and catchy songs written by the same cast of characters responsible for the music in another crowd-pleaser, 'La La Land.' All of these elements make a film that can connect with audiences unlike more sophisticated, elaborate films. Sure, it can be argued that Barnum's life is simplified to the point that it almost feels as trivial as the beard on Keala Settle's bearded woman. But this isn't intended to be a biographical drama.
Again, it's the music the is the glue that holds 'Showman' together. Kicking off with the energetic 'The Greatest Show' and ending on the rousing finale of 'From Now On,' there are plenty of hits in here that are enough to keep audiences humming along long after the curtains close. Perhaps the standout, though, is Rebecca Ferguson's portrayal of the operatic vocalist Jenny Lind, who's voiced by Loren Allred on the power ballad "Never Enough," which is sure to become a classic to be sung in singing competitions all over the world.
Sure, 'The Greatest Showman' is a bit cheesy at times, and would be a shell of itself if it was not a musical. But the final result stands on its own as an impressive, memorable entry in the 20th Century Fox catalogue.