Today the Greatest Showman or rather PT
Barnum reinvented. To cut a not very well explained story short, Barnum (Hugh
Jackman) launches a museum of curiosities with the support of his wife and long
time sweetheart Charity (Michelle Williams). This is just the latest in a long
list of money making schemes he’s tried. It bombs and even their two daughters point
out how dull it is.
.
Hence he turns it in a circus of ‘freaks’ or rather not so
elaborate hoaxes. In which he is aided by the financial clout of Phillip
Carlyle (Zac Efron) who invests in Barnum’s venture for reasons that aren’t made
very clear.
Their circus causes an uproar but a popular one with it’s dwarves,
giants, bearded ladies etc. Barnum though soon moves on as promoter to Jenny
Lind (Rebecca Ferguson), a famous Swedish singer, whom he persuades to tour America.
His ‘freaks’ freak out when he sidelines them for Lind, as
does his wife, but before long Lind has walked out on him too. At this point, in
a decidedly modern day twist, the film turns things on it’s head and Barnum
becomes a sort of social justice warrior giving jobs and a voice to the world’s
minorities.
Carlyle meanwhile is falling in love with Anne (Zendaya) who
is one half of a brother and sister trapeze act who happen, not very
sensationally, to be black. For our sins they treat us to a dreadful duet.
Yes, the music isn’t great. It’s like being stuck inside a long
pop video of an artist you (possibly) hate.
You do feel, as with most musicals, that there is a coherent
plot in there somewhere trying to get out but I couldn’t find it. I do like
having to google the facts behind a film after having seen it. Just to clarify
a few points you know but to have to find out the whole story, that's
stretching it a touch and there does appear to have been a cracking story about Barnum but this isn't it.
Sadly it seems the world has learnt little from the success
of La La Land and musicals have returned to square one. So I’m with the films
own critic (Paul Sparks), who didn’t like Barnum’s show either.
They do say that musicals are escapism and yes, I wanted to
escape.
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