The Greatest Showman | Teen Ink

The Greatest Showman

May 13, 2019
By username123 SILVER, Hartland, Wisconsin
username123 SILVER, Hartland, Wisconsin
7 articles 0 photos 0 comments

The Greatest Showman—a movie that I thought would be cheesy and uninteresting. I don't like many musicals so I assumed I would also dislike this movie, but I was terribly wrong.

Directed by Michael Gracey, The Greatest Showman is an incredible movie based on the true story of PT Barnum starting a circus; this movie is pure entertainment. The plot of the movie explained everything you would need to know about the first circus in an interesting and jaw dropping way with upbeat songs with a true and fascinating plot.

The movie starts very dramatically as a silhouette of PT Barnum in his ringmaster outfit with the song “The Greatest Showman”. He then goes into the ring of the circus and dances while singing the very upbeat song that catches the viewers interest. He fades into the darkness and it flashes back to his childhood.

One of the most important parts of this movie was the songs. The marvelous songs sprinkled throughout the film make the movie and create a movie that every watcher will enjoy.

In one of my favorite songs, “A Million Dreams”, PT, the main character in sings about when he was only a taylors boy when he was a kid and he had to go to a rich family with his dad to taylor the people's clothes. This is where PT saw Charity for the first time. Through this song you follow the amazing love story of PT Barnum, played by Hugh Jackman and Charity Barnum, played by Michelle Williams as they grow up in different worlds, Charity growing up in high class and PT in low class. This is satisfying about the story because you see the struggles PT went though and how their love for eachother prevailed through it all. This adds romance to the film overall. They grow up, marry and have two kids. This song makes everyone to have the perfect love story

Another standout love song was “Rewrite the Stars”. Philip, played by Zac Efron goes on the show and meets Anne Wheeler, played by Zendaya who is a trapeze artist in the show. You follow their love story and the hardships of being an interracial couple at that time in history. Philips’ insulting parents do not approve of the two of them, and this is where you hear this amazing song, It takes place in an empty circus tent with the trapeze. Zendaya flies in the air while Zac tries to climb up to meet her. They go up and down, finally meeting, where Zendaya says she cannot be with him. While watching this part of the film my eyes were attached to the screen in amazement.

The standout song in the film that won a Golden Globe award for Best Original Song, was nominated for Best Original Song at the 90th Academy Awards, and won the Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards, is “This is me”. This song is sung by the bearded lady, played by Keala Settle. With a powerhouse of a voice she is the perfect fit for this role. This is one of the important teaching moments in the film which the bearded lady tells us it is ok to by unique, don't be ashamed of it, and be yourself. She says that this is who she is no she is not going to change for anyone.

Throughout the movie you see many different and “odd” people in PT’s show. Such as a wolf man, bearded lady, and someone with horns. Throughout the movie you learn it is good to be different and everyone is unique. This movie is a good movie to teach people they are perfect the way they are. I loved this aspect of the film and it made it that much better in my eyes.

The movie ends with a fantastic ending that no watcher would expect. It ends with the song “The Greatest Show”, as it started which gives a great full circle feel to the movie.  Overall, I highly recommend seeing this movie and you will not be disappointed because of the amazing songs, cast, and plot.



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