“The Greatest Showman” rekindles circus magic

When I was younger, going to the circus was a magical experience for me. My family would load up the car and head to Rapid City, South Dakota to view amazing human feats. I would patiently wait for the time of year when the circus would come to town.
The magic of the circus has worn off now that I’m 20, but thankfully, director Michael Gracey was able to recreate that giddy feeling I had as a kid in his film “The Greatest Showman.”
“The Greatest Showman” tells the story of P. T. Barnum, played by Hugh Jackman, and how he developed the first circus.
The film begins with Barnum as a poor child, who is constantly dreaming of a better world.
After starting a family with his childhood love, Barnum realizes that he didn’t live up to his dreams and ambitions.
In hopes of fulfilling his promises to himself and his wife, Barnum begins a museum of curiosities. Tickets don’t sell to Barnum’s museum, until his daughter points out the one flaw: they need something live.
While wandering around New York City, Barnum begins to find unique people to add to his show, including a bearded lady, a man covered in tattoos and a
“giant.” He gathers these people and develops the world’s first circus.
As the story continues, the audience sees Barnum try to balance his friendships and family with his ambition and search for fame.
The audience also watches as the circus “freaks” find their voices and accept who they are. The storyline is inspiring and reinforces the idea that your limits are only the ones you create.
The story is beautiful and creates a land of magic, but “The Greatest Showman” is also a musical. I could listen to the music from “The Greatest Showman” every day.
For those who are weary about musicals, know that the music from this film is very contemporary and not your traditional Broadway music.
Without the music in this film, I feel like you would lose a lot of the captivating magic and would lose part of the true message.
While the plot and the music in “The Greatest Showman” are wonderful, the actors are what bring the film to life. The movie includes many well-known actors, like Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Zendaya and Michelle Williams. I love each of these actors, so to see them on the screen together in such an amazing film is fantastic.
The A-list actors are amazing, but one actor steals the show. Keala Settle, who plays the bearded lady, is seen as a leader to the circus people. Settle’s character helps empower the other characters and encourages them to embrace their differences.
The song “This is Me,” Settle’s major solo, is one of my favorite songs in the movie. Settle speaks about being discriminated against as an actress for her size and weight, and you can tell that she uses that experience in her song and in the rest of the film as a whole.
For those who love musicals and have a soft spot for Zac Efron, I highly recommend seeing “The Greatest Showman.” You will leave the movie feeling like anything is possible and ready to belt your heart out.