A Good Story Ruined By A Lot of Singing

Rating: 7/10 (15 February 2018)

Okay. I get it that Hugh Jackman loves to sing and dance. He's something to watch, all right. This film makes me glad I watched it on my laptop, so I could fast forward through the singing bits. Every time I heard any of the singing I was reminded, of all things, of Hair. Don't ask me why.
Don't get me wrong: I like musicals. Some musicals. I loved My Fair Lady and Oklahoma. Some stories just need to have terrific music and unforgettably wonderful singing. I really don't think the Greatest Showman is one of those stories, though. And the songs seemed (what I heard of them) to be mostly dreck.
Too bad about it being a musical because it's an intriguing tale about imagination and creativity and good old American hard work ethics. Never let the bastards get you down. Barnum sure knew how to put on a show.
Zac Efron was fun to watch, too. I like that he is becoming a much more accomplished actor.
I missed the part where Barnum says, "There's a sucker born every minute." Maybe Hugh sang his way through that one. Aw, shucks.