The Greatest Showman | Film Review

This post does contain spoilers

Last month I went to see The Greatest Showman with my Mum as it was something that I wanted to see as back in November I saw the wonderful Zac Efron had posted something about it on his Instagram and therefore I knew it was a movie that I had to see! And, even more recently (prior to seeing the film) I have been listening to the soundtrack over and over and I think I am in love with it! It’s been a favourite to listen to for over a month now and I think it is going to continue to be a favourite for a long while.

What is the Greatest Showman about?

This film it is a musical inspired on the real story of P. T. Barnum. The film starts with us seeing a young Barnum who works as an apprentice tailer who meets the girl of his dreams where Barnum promises her the world, however he unfortunately becomes orphaned and she moves to finishing school. Through this time they keep in contact via letters to each other. Eventually they get married and have two children, as they continue to grow he makes it his duty to give her the world and give her the life she deserves. He does this by getting a loan from the bank and buying the Barnum American Museum, which initially is not overly successful, he takes the advice from his children as they say there are too many stuffed things in his museum and needs something alive like a unicorn. Now Barnum doesn’t quite manage to find a unicorn for his children, however he does hunt for ‘freaks’ to be featured in a show. The film follows this journey of all of the circus becoming a family and the ‘freaks’ having somewhere they can call home because there they are not seen as ‘freaks’ they are seen as something incredible! The story also follows Barnum becoming swept up in the fame and fortune and him losing his way to what he truly started the show for.

My Thoughts…

Now, this film isn’t exactly historically accurate, however I think we can all forgive that because its so good! I mean, the film touches ever so slightly on some truths, for example how he got the original loan for the museum isn’t quite how it happened, but after doing some research the way they showed it in the film was so much less complicated and less confusing than the actual way! Also, IRL Barnum was not as nice as the film depicts, but this film I guess shows the best bits because it is your typical happy-go-lucky film that we all love!

There is so much colour and spectacle in this film. The effects are sooooo good! Like the animals in the circus look super realistic (I mean you can tell that they aren’t real, but they look pretty realistic!). I really love the storyline of this film (even if it is fake!). This was cast really well in my opinion (I mean Zac Efron is in it 😂, what more could you ask for).

I am in love with the soundtrack of this film! Honestly, it has all that I have been listening too since seeing the film! Its such an inspiring soundtrack in my opinion, especially ‘This is Me’. Other favourites would be The Greatest Show, A Million Dreams, Come Alive,  The Other Side, Rewrite the Stars and From Now On. Basically every song on the soundtrack is my favourite song!

I highly recommend that you go and see this film at some point as its just so up-lifting and there are so many colours in it. I have my fingers crossed that it is up for a couple of Oscar Nominations!

Have you seen it? Did you love it? Let me know in the comments!