The Greatest Showman is one of the best films I've seen in ages ?

[mzmum78]

I'd seen the odd trailer when this was released and thought it looked ok so it was on my radar but was never motivated to watch it . My sister absolutely raved about it so this weekend we had a rare day all four of us home with no plans so we watched it.
Have to say we all loved it (from 6year old boy to 9 year old girl and both parents including dh who typically falls asleep). Usually i sit and Mumsnet during kids movies but we all watched this all the way. We’ve played the songs all weekend and talked about how great it was a few times!

The cinematography, dancing , singing is all beautiful but I also loved the positive message about being yourself and the “this is me” song has me listening over and over

[KatyMac]

The dancing and choreography were superb, if you allow for the speeding up/slowing down of actual routines

The mixing of moden day customs with 19th C ones is fab in the bar scene

[zwellers]

User x it's a film it's largely fictionalised a lot of people enjoyed do it take your self righteousness and piss off

[Lollyb86]

User X i can see we won't agree. I just see it as an entertainment piece not a moral compass.

[WigglyBlossom]

I lasted about 15 minutes before switching it off. Even less for Mama Mia and watched that LaLa film on fast forward.

[UserX]

It's just a film to enjoy and song along to.

Aww, yes, sing along to songs about a white man enslaving people and expecting them to be grateful. It’s the feel-good film of the summer!

[spanieleyes]

I play the soundtrack at top volume in my car on the way home after a tough day at work and sing along VERY loudly and VERY out of tune! I'm fine by the time I get home!

[AlliKaneErikson]

Another piano and singing teacher here so I’m slowing becoming a bit jaded with it but think it’s great overall. Good songs, great dance numbers and just a bit of fun for an hour or two- nothing like the real story, though.

[MrsJayy]

Jenny Lind was quite "homely" wasn't she where as Rebecca Ferguson was like an Auburn Angel

[mzmum78]

I'm glad others liked it too! Look I know it wasn't Oscar worthy cinematic history but I just found it such a feel good movie
I guess I also watched it as a fictional piece and not really an accurate bio of Barnum (i mean I googled Jenni Lind as she did NOT look like that !!)

[Halebeke425]

I really wanted to like it but it just wasn't for me. I think a big part is the music not being my cup of tea, I can look past loads of issues if I love the music.

I don't judge anyone else for liking it though. And it's brought my daughter lots of joy so not a total waste of time/money!

[Lollyb86]

*X

Actually my DD is more interested in the dancing and singing and generally twirling around to the music than worrying about white male oppression 🙄

It all sinks in though. Did his wife do anything in the film besides smile and say yes, dear? And protect the children from his excesses? Did any of the women get a say

*
Is it not a reflection generally of the time it was set?
I don't allow DD to think this is what should be happening now.
It's just a film to enjoy and song along to.

[PinguForPresident]

I know the songs are cheesy, I know the dancing is shit, I know Huge isn’t the best singer technically speaking, and that it bears no resemblance to the actual facts of the story of P T Barnum. But I give no fucks because it’s uplifting and rousing and full of joy

Eh? The dancing is fabulous and Hugh Jackman was in musicals long before he was in movies. As a total unknown he played the lead in the revival of Carousel at the National Theatre back in 1988. You don't get that sort of part with a poor voice. He won a Tony for Boy from Oz in 2001. He's really bloody good.

I'll give you the fictitious storyline bit, though.

[MrsJayy]

Lala land was the smugest film I have ever seen in my life

[Sophisticatedsarcasm]

My DS 10 who has asd usually only watches action movies absolutley loves it. My Dd 5 won’t stop singing a million dreams, I have downloaded the soundtrack. Most of us love it our house and of course zac efron is in it so makes it all the better 😊

[UserX]

Actually my DD is more interested in the dancing and singing and generally twirling around to the music than worrying about white male oppression 🙄

It all sinks in though. Did his wife do anything in the film besides smile and say yes, dear? And protect the children from his excesses? Did any of the women get a say?

[Moonkissedlegs]

Had a good conversation about racism/slavery though as she didn't understand why Zac wasn't allowed to go out with Zendaya.

To be fair, that whole story line went over my friends head as well. I don't think she realised that Zendaya is black!

[Mookatron]

I'm torn because although I think it is basically about how as long as everyone is entertained pretty much anything is OK and you don't need to worry about anything serious (dreaming with your eyes wide open), that the female characters are either madonnas/whores, and that I can't bloody stand autotune, the songs are quite catchy and my kids like it and said their favourite character was the bearded woman. So I dunno.

[PolkerrisBeach]

I take it as pure fiction tbh

Which is EXACTLY what you're supposed to do! It's not supposed to be a hard hitting biopic exploring issues and challenging attitudes. It never claimed to be a faithful retelling of the story. It's a fluffy, colourful musical full of catchy songs and great dancing.

I also thought it was heaps better than La La Land which all the critics were falling over each other to say was the best thing since since bread. It wasn't. It was a snoozefest.

[UterusUterusGhali]

Hale, he's why we talk about the "Barnum effect".
It's very sanitised. I take it as pure fiction tbh.

We did have a conversation about the real man on the way home.

[UterusUterusGhali]

I loved it! And I hate that kinda shit usually.

Saw it with my 16yo and 8yo and it's one of the few things we've all enjoyed equally.

I want to see it again but in the cinema as I don't think it'll be as good on DVD. I don't want to go to a sing-a-long either; it was bad enough with one person quietly singing when I saw it.

[BlooperReel]

Eldest DC adores it and has watched it repeatedly. Even youngest DC wanders around singing some of the lines from the songs.

[Halebeke425]

Also didn't know at the time that it was based on a true story which makes it even worse! Why glamorise it? I think it should be renamed The Greatest Con Man and not fluff over the dark bits, then maybe I'd get it.

[TheOriginalEmu]

the 'people take things to seriously' reply to things always makes me a bit .........we're talking about an exploitative, abusive man and it does a dis-service to the people he exploited and abused to not take it seriously. I used it as a stepping stone to a discussion about lots of things with my 14 year old DD. If you don't want to do more than to watch it as a bit of fluff fine, but don't make insinuations that it makes me a kill joy to find it quite gross in some ways.
I also find it weird that the voice of the actor who plays the dwarf was over dubbed.

[Halebeke425]

Love musicals and had high hopes for this. Genuinely do not understand the hype and actually think of it as one of the worst films I've ever seen. I was sat watching it thinking I've been massively pranked and it was some sort of conspiracy to pretend it was good.

DD on the other hand absolutely loves it and has watched it about 50 times. Luckily she has a portable dvd player with headphones.

Combination of forgettable songs, terrible acting, very corny scenes but the worst thing was the main character and story itself - man exploits vulnerable people for his own gain, makes a series of bad financial decisions that effect his family and 'employees' (that he never pays) but always gets bailed out with seemingly no consequences, oh and fucks off on tour with a woman he clearly fancies leaving everyone else to deal with everything. And I'm supposed to like this guy?! Cgi was bad too. Don't get it sorry!

[TheOriginalEmu]

@Forgetwhaticameinherefor hope that works...