The Show Must Lo-Gan.
105 Mins. Starring: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson, Keala Settle, Charles Stratton & Zendaya. Director: Michael Gracey.
There's no business like the man that invented show business. And who better to play this kind of entertainment entrepreneur than Hugh Jackman? Retracting his old man 'Logan', growling Wolverine claws, this ex X-Men plays the man who had the big top mind to coin the circus and all the attractions in it, P.T. Barnum with his certain joie de vivre. One of Hollywood's leading lights of showmanship in this city of stars, all the way from down under really is 'The Greatest Showman'. He's already shown us 'The Prestige' of magic and sang from stage to screen in the Academy of Oscars thrown like roses at the epic, iconic 'Les Miserables' awarded adaptation. The 'Australia' actor who made the real superhero jump a downhill wow factor in last years epic and emotional 'Eddie The Eagle', is really reaching a new personal best like his deepest, darkest and last movie of real adamantium steel yet this last year just gone. One neo-western, genre great that could make it all the way to awards season, like the arresting 'Prisoners', or this one for a man who once hosted his own version of the all singing and dancing with Beyonce Oscars. There is no one better in this industry in ever need of his infectious inspiration to play P.T. to a tee. This bub is a classically trained man of theatre bud. All you need to do is take a stream of consciousness down his Springsteen stripped-down, one man and two woman, fisherman play 'The River' of a few years back that held stage in a side street off midtown Manhattan to see this man has the raw potential, not to mention the ready made power to bring the greatest show to the greatest city in the world, New York in a matrimony marriage of magic. One of Barnum's most famous quotes reads, "fortune favors the brave, and never helps a man who does not help himself". But you best believe in Hugh who shows us on this cinematic stage the show must go like Shakespeare said.
Ringleading a firey hoopla of lions, elephants and men hairier than bears (oh my!), Jackman's ringmaster is the top hat and tails that tell, all the way down to how he clutches at his ringmasters cane with puncuated purpose. The moment the old, vintage 20th Century Fox logo slideshow stutters into todays iconic classic logo, the music shifts from a tale as old as the flashbulb photography of 1835 at the tender age of 25 to modern music of these millennials's Spotify playlists. And the almost 50 year old Jackman who can play forever young like his engrossing enthusiasm or his ability to jack himself up to play the mutant wolfman doesn't miss a beat or single octave. Stepping with an astute flair of Astaire, whether hip-hop or old showtunes note perfect. This dynamo of a directorial debut from fellow Aussie and visual artist of 'Ned Kelly' and 'The Magician' Michael Gracey really shoots for what you can see from the Hollywood hills grace of the Griffith Observatory. And even those 'City Of Stars' songwriting geniuses behind Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone's 'La La Land' that won almost every Oscar except the last envelope get to 'Rewrite The Stars' here in some cinematic numbers that are still cool enough to aux rock on your next road trip. Circus coloured like a Baz Lurhman moxie mix of 'Moulin Rogue' and 'Great Gatsby' gold slick and with water for C.G.I elephants showing well and truly no animals were harmed in the making of this movie like they never should be, this movie is bold, beautiful and bat crazy. Borrowing costume and cinematically from Hugh's who who of 'Prestige' and 'Miserables', but without a hint of misery in this esteemed piece of entertainment eminence...which is exactly the resolution we need in the New Year post-Christmas blues of a cold January. Pure joy, unadulterated. From the grubby, foggy town bread stealing beginnings that heartbreakingly tells us "this isn't the life I promised you...not even close", to the fruits of his labor of and for love that lead to new homes, food on the table for his family everynight and a supremely tailored suit our leading man changes like we do our socks. The jack of all trades Jackman can do it all, especially as the no for an answer dreamer with a recipe for reality born in Barnum. And just wait until this handsome and heartfelt man of honor really sings. Forget an award nomination. This man deserves his own category. One signed and sealed, showstopper thanks to this dynamite delivery.
Hold your applause however. Because this pack is more than it's Wolverine leader as the show will never go on without something to see. And there really are some sights to behold here, tightrope to trapeze in some classic chereography to rival the French fancy of the Cirque de Soleil. So much so if the pyrotechnics can pull it off like the stage hands here, this candy coated American dream should see the wicked stage in real life in the 'Jersey Boys' and 'Chicago' electric Times Square of N.Y.C. itself, starring Showman Jackman for an epic, extended run. Because this movie moving the millions has the numbers to do it from songs that beat and pick you up, pinning your dreams hammer and nail. One shot for shot slide across the bar, drinking game dance stumble you never want to call last orders on, even when you get your coat rivals the stepped up sailor Jerry 'No Dames' tap-dance of Channing Tatum in the Cohen's 'Hail Caesar'. And who else to partner up with Jackman in a showcase like this than 'High School Musical' generational great Zac Efron? A slam-dunk of a cast, forever embalmed in forever 21 youth, despite reaching his thirties and new heights in this years hilarious 'Baywatch' save and the good 'Neighbors' franchise that is even borrow a cup of sugar bold enough to wake up zombies in the next installment of their trilogy making franchise. The effervescent Efron has barely been better and the man who can play serious, seriously good ('The Paperboy'/'Parkland'), but still have fun mixes both here for a moral message behind the curtain of all that magic. He falls hard for Marvel's 'Homecoming' Spider-Man's M.J. crush Zendaya like the rest of Hollywood have. And here the young actress of the future and right about now shows exactly why she can go by one name already like Destiny's Child. They make a stand for race relations and relationships with anyone your heart falls for in a movie that features 'Manchester By The Sea' Academy actress Michelle Williams as a wonderful woman, wife and moving mother and 'Life' and new 'Mission Impossible' franchise star Rebecca Ferguson, formidable as a singing starlet and sensation Barnum wants to have to bring his show to a whole new stage...as if meeting the Queen at Buckingham Palace wasn't the crown jewel. But for all the all-stars holding stage here the real wonders of the show are the extraordinary people P.T. wanted the world to see in all their unique individuality and quirks. From bearded ladies and teen wolfs to the tallest and heaviest men in the world. As Jackman's Barnum makes star attractions of those others in ignorance and hate call "freaks". Showing that the only unusual thing about being different than everyone else is the courage and one of a kind power it takes to be your very own person, true to self in a freakish world always trying to change what's good and right because it doesn't have the bravery to be it itself. And that's an idea that will stay with you long after the curtain closes on this piece of classic cinema. Whether you're someone who has suffered the same bullied belligerence hiding in the shadows of shyness and silence until now (and if you ever doubt yourself or your dream this New Year remember they used to throw fruit and bottles at Prince of all people when he used to perform on stage...Prince?!). Or whether you are exactly the someone who has denied these people just like you their voice and their right to be heard. Well here...they are given all the worlds stage. And bursting through the miserable barricades this is why the real stars of the show are the beautiful Keala Settle, commanding Charles Stratton and all the people they really represent with no apologies except the ones we owe them. You see them now?! This is you. This is me. This is us. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Further Filming: 'La La Land', 'The Prestige', 'Les Miserables'.
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