The Greatest Showman review
The Greatest Showman
The story of B. T. Barnum's creation of his circus (albeit with dramatisations). The depiction of late 19th Century New York was done rather well (although I'm not sure how accurate the age of Queen Victoria was depicted, when he does go to Buckingham Palace), as was the small minded attitudes of the elite. The story of Barnum's rise, through determination and risk taking, to build up the Museum (later circus) for his family, was presented quite well. The musical approach is different, but I did enjoy it.
The backstory, where he was a poor taylor's son, who fell for a dissatisfied rich girl, was a quite moving beginning. This does set up some moments later, where he metaphorically rubs his father-in-law's nose in it at an opera performance, (presented very well, but not very polite of Barnum) and another moment after the scandal breaks out, where P. T. apologises for his behaviour at the beach where they had courted years before. The way their two daughters are involved in the buildup of the circus and the reconcilliation was also well done.
The growth in confidence and strength of identity of the 'freaks' employed by Barnum in the Circus was done quite well too, as well as Carlyle's repudiation of his parents' small mindedness. 8.5