The Greatest Showman
2017 · Directed by Michael Gracey
Original language: English
- drama
The story
The story of American showman P.T. Barnum, founder of the circus that became the famous traveling Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
What it’s like
Saturated, glossy digital colour: circus-tent reds and gold, gaslit Victorian interiors, and night-time streets rendered in warm amber and smoky blue, with the camera often swooping and whirling through crowds in fast, rhythmic cuts that mirror the music. The sound is the centre of it: big, anthemic pop-theatre numbers with stomping percussion, soaring choruses and crowd-shout hooks, punctuated by quieter piano ballads when the film slows for heartache. Its vibe is buoyant and sentimental, a feel-good spectacle with a sincere ache underneath, best suited to a Saturday afternoon, a sing-along with friends, or a comfort watch when you want uplift. The pacing is brisk and the emotional register is earnest and triumphant, following a restless showman and the outsiders he gathers around him as they chase acceptance and find family in one another. Intensity is mild: some peril in the circus acts, a few tense confrontations, a brief, handled infidelity subplot, and no gore. For people who want big-hearted musical energy, bright visuals and a story about belonging, not a gritty or quiet film.
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