THE MOVIE THAT INSPIRES ITS AUDIENCE

Rating: 10/10 (12 October 2018)

If you have ever wanted to hear the Wolverine sing, "The Greatest Showman" is the movie to watch. "The Greatest Showman", directed by Michael Gracey, won the hearts of millions around the world when it was released in December of 2017, just five days before Christmas. During its first week in theaters, it earned a total of almost nine million dollars worldwide, being ranked fourth for the amount of money earned during its first week in theaters. "The Greatest Showman" has just about everything one could hope for in a movie. It has a strong story line, great music, superb acting, and something else is thrown in there: life lessons. The movie is more of a musical that is based off of real events that P. T. Barnum, played by Hugh Jackman, experienced as he tries to make a name for himself in America. It takes place during the 1850s and 60s, but even though it is an "older" movie, it still captured the attentions of many people today. Even though "The Greatest Showman" takes place a little under two centuries ago, it is an American favorite today because of the music and lessons established in the movie.
Right off the bat, the first scene of the movie already gets the audience at the edge of their seats. It opens with a fast forward to what is to come later on in the movie. It gets the audience excited to see what leads up to that event. There are lessons within the songs, but they are also found just in the dialogue itself. In the opening scene, Hugh Jackman sings about how the impossible comes true and nothing will be able to stop him or his "circus" members. Even though there is a lot going on in that one scene, the words alone are mesmerizing. As the song progresses, "We light it up, we won't come down, and the sun can't stop us now. Watching it come true, it's taking over you... it's everything you ever want. It's everything you ever need, and it's here right in front of you..." transitions into a scene of a young P. T. Barnum, looking through a glass window at what he wants to be when he grows up. That shows the audience that his dream eventually comes true, no matter what he faced in his life.
As the movie continues, the audience sees all the adversity Barnum goes through in the process of becoming a well-known figure around the world. One of the life lessons the movie offers throughout its entirety is that you will face criticism, but you must persevere through it. Barnum's "freaks" brought in a lot of money because people wanted to see these "monstrosities." Philip Carlyle, played by Zac Efron, was practically disowned by his family when he decided to join Barnum as partners. The circus and its associates received so much hate and criticism from the public, but that did not stop any of them. Even when times became tough, they got through it all together. In the song "Come Alive", Barnum sings, "'Cause you're just a dead man walking, thinking that's your only option, but you can flip the switch and brighten up your darkest day". Keala Settle, who plays Lettie Lutz, a bearded woman, sings "When the sharpest words wanna cut me down, I'm gonna send a flood, gonna drown them out. I am brave, I am bruised, I am who I'm meant to be, this is me" after Barnum made it evident that he saw them not as friends, but as subjects. He made it seem like he did not want to be associated with them outside of the circus, but Lutz does not let that stop her or her peers from speaking out and having everyone know that they accept their differences. This lets the audience know that they can get through just about anything if they set their mind to it. They cannot let what others think get to the best of them.
"The Greatest Showman" is one of the most loved movies in America today. It is not only entertaining, but it is also inspirational to watch and listen to the ideas being conveyed in the movie. "The Greatest Showman" offers many life lessons through its catchy songs that are memorable for all its viewers and listeners. Even if something is not going how you planned it to be, just keep pushing through and you will eventually come out better than ever.