The Greatest Showman

Story: The period musical drama is based on the life and times of 19th-century showman PT Barnum, who founded the famous Barnum and Bailey Circus.


Review: The film tells Barnum’s rags to riches story and explores how his meteoric rise to fame and fortune was muddled with allegations of exploiting the disabled for his circus. However, many also argued that his vision unified the outcasts and acknowledged their existence when their own disowned them.


Michael Gracey has a tough job at hand as at the helm of his biopic lies a man, whose methods evoked diverse reactions. Was Barnum an opportunist who exploited the misfits or was he a humanitarian? The director takes some creative liberties but ensures he presents both sides of Barnum’s debatable success story. He makes no bones about the showman’s semi-dubious ways of making money but gives a valid explanation to support his actions. For instance, you see Barnum convincing a vertically challenged man to join his circus by telling him, “People are going to laugh anyway. You might as well make a buck.” He even questions the theatre critic who calls him the ‘purveyor of semi -fraudulent spectacles’ by saying, “When was the last time you really laughed? You are a theatre critic who finds no joy in theatre? Who’s the real fraud?”


The beauty of The Greatest Showman is not limited to its visual appeal – spectacular sets, acrobatic performances, dances and singing ability of its artistes, headlined by the immensely talented Hugh Jackman, who exudes Barnum’s indomitable spirit. What stands the film apart is its relevance to today’s times. It touches upon social issues like class discrimination or aversion towards human abnormalities that continue to plague our society even today.


Coming back to Jackman, he makes you feel for Barnum as he stays honest to his flawed character which makes him humane. Also the Aussie actor’s expertise as a musical theatre artiste makes him the The Greatest Showman indeed. His portrayal of Barnum’s constant struggle with the conservative elite, fight to fit in and get the respect he deserved, moves you to tears. He is ably supported by Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Zendaya and Rebecca Ferguson.


To sum it up, Barnum’s words to a renowned Opera singer (played by Ferguson) hold true for the film as well. You may go watch this film to witness the thrill of a circus spectacle but what you also get is something real.