The Greatest Showman
The Greatest Showman is the story of P.T. Barnum, a man who exploited a bunch of sad, outcasted individuals for, you guessed it, a whole ton of money. I couldn't think of a better story for a lighthearted musical. . . . *cough*
While this could have been an extremely layered, timely commentary, and character study of the man who put the freaks in freak show, we instead get an excessively sentimental, tone-deaf, superficial story with horribly choreographed pop songs and an arch that's about as curved as a ruler. Exchanging substance for self-indulgent mawkishness, problems like racism, classism, and exploitation are solved and brushed over by a little dancing and a Disney-channel inspired soundtrack.
As much as I love Hugh Jackman, I was highly disappointed by this film and genuinely can't understand the high audience ratings it's received. Not only was it lacking in story, but it couldn't even make up for it in visuals, delivering some of the worst CGI I've seen since Justice League.
At the end of the credits, there is a quote by P.T. Barnum that says "The noblest art is that of making others happy." I completely disagree. It's very easy to make other's happy by giving them what they want, even if what they want is bad for them, teaches them nothing, and simply makes them feel good about themselves. What I would say, is that the noblest art is that of telling the truth. That is what gives a film soul.
Just like the crowds of Barnum's show, so many people just want to be entertained and dazzled, but they don't want to be challenged or confronted with anything real. This film is so disappointing because it lacked the courage to tell the truth about our main hero. To show the dark side of his show and to truly examine the dark sides of himself. And yes, I understand this is a movie for kids. That said, if you want to make an uplifting musical for kids, maybe try finding a more uplifting protaganist. The Greatest Showman should have spent less time rewriting the stars, and more time rewriting its script. 4 out of 10 stars. (One Time See For Free)
