Roll up, roll up...

Rating: 7/10 (13 February 2018)

It's funny but about this time last year my wife and I watched "La La Land", the acclaimed, multi Oscar winning feature which was proclaimed as the great throwback celebration of the Hollywood musical and we were sorely disappointed. This latest movie features a soundtrack by the same songwriting team and of course is likewise a popular hit, both at the box office and the music charts but still we were trepidatious to watch it, but happily this time we got it.
Maybe it helped that the characters in this film were easier to like and relate to or maybe it's just that the staging, acting, singing and just the songs themselves were better but whatever the reasons this really was everything we'd expected. Both the title and the story hark back to 50's blockbuster "The Greatest Show On Earth" but even if there's occasionally a bit of a culture clash as modern musical stylings rub up sometimes a little incongruously against mid 19th Century Americana, the sheer energy of the piece carries it through.
The rise and fall and rise again story of barnstorming circus entrepreneur P.T. Barnum is naturally exciting, evocative and exotic with the viewer rooting for him and his band of underdog misfits all the way. The songs are terrific, the uptempo ones rhythmic and engaging, the power ballads moving and involving. The choreography and cinematography make excellent use of the circus backdrop, while the cast sell it for all its worth, especially the dashing and energetic Hugh Jackman in the title role.
In summary then, a wonderful old / new-fashioned musical family entertainment which will have you singing along and tapping your toes to from first to last.