A very enjoyable film, don't listen to the critics

Rating: 8/10 (9 January 2018)

This film is by no means technically perfect - not in the eyes of the critics anyway. I could understand this view to some extent. For instance, the story lacked real conflicts. There were several conflicts encountered by various characters in the film, but none of them was rigid enough to serve as a solid foundation of the plot story. This resulted in a relatively thin character development. I would also argue that a musical film like this could benefit from utilizing long-take shots, especially in dance sequences - this film did not have many long and continuous scenes. But, films are not just about technicality.
I did not feel that this film was created solely obtain to technical achievements, such as best screenplay, best cinematography, etc. This film was made to deliver a message about social discrimination and it did just that. There is no need for a Shakespeare-like screenplay or a La La Land-like cinematography. Nor it had to be 100% historically accurate. In other words, this film should not be judged by its technical aspects per se, but also by the moral message it is trying to convey and its overall entertainment value. In my opinion, this is what the critics failed to see.
I highly recommend this film, and do watch it in the cinema for better experience. The songs are very beautiful, both from the music and lyrics point of view. Some of the scenes are just magical. Overall, a very enjoyable film to watch. A very good job by the Michael Gracey for his directorial debut.