The 2017 movie, The Greatest Showman, caught my attention for many reasons.

For starters, I love anything with Zendaya in it! Also, I heard that Zac Efron would be in another musical. I hadn’t heard him sing since the High School Musical days, so I was thrilled to see how he’d do in this. I was very surprised by Hugh Jackman’s part in the movie, as the main character. I only knew him as Wolverine, from X-Men. I didn’t know he could sing, but I was eager to hear him!

The acting of the movie was marvelous, but the musical performances throughout the movie were the greatest parts. Hugh Jackman’s performance of “The Greatest Show” was the first scene. The entire movie played as a flashback of P. T. Barnum’s whole life, starting from when he was a boy. Young Barnum had always wanted to be a showman, and he’d dream a million dreams until he was one. That brought upon the next song “A Million Dreams”. When I heard the melody, it was like listening to music for the very first time! I loved it! Ellis Rubin’s voice was so elegant, and soft, and pure. It made me feel reborn! I really liked how he transitioned from boy to man during this scene. It was imposing!

Now, P. T. Barnum is married to his wife, Charity, and has two kids. He still wants to pursue his dreams of being a showman. He puts out fliers and comes across a group of wacky people who don’t fit into society. There were women with beards, dwarfs and giants, and people with crazy hair, looks, and sizes. Barnum saw their flaws as potential! He knew he could make them stars, he just had to convince them of it!

Later in the movie, he comes across Phillip Carlyle (played by Zac Efron)—a man who scandals and does plays. Barnum convinces him to join his circus, along with his other wacky acts. Phillip meets Anne Wheeler, played by Zendaya. He likes her, but can’t be with her because of the color of her skin. This creates a problem for Phillip throughout the movie. Barnum and his crew are invited to meet the Queen of England, in which Barnum is shocked. He meets Jenny Lind, the most famous singer in Europe. He convinces her to perform for him as his opening act. She agrees, and sings “Never Enough”.

This is my favorite song of the whole movie because so much happened during this scene. Jenny stuns Barnum with her astonishing voice, making his wife believe he’s falling in love with Jenny. Phillip grabs Anne’s hand, as a way of showing his affection for her, but is forced to let her go because of his parent’s glare. Hurt by his actions, Anne runs out of the concert right as Jenny hits the perfect high-note. The song was intensifying, breathtaking, and magnificent!

Following up Jenny’s performance, Barnum’s crew barges into the after party. He shoos them off, causing them to break out into a song called “This is Me”. This song was intriguing because it started off as a protest—a fight for equality. The song helped them express how unashamed they were to look and be whoever they wanted to be. It was vibrant! The crew sung with Lettie Lutz as lead, played by Keala Settle. She screamed every note as loud as she could, and it was divine!

Shortly after, Barnum leaves the crew to go on tour with Jenny Lind. Phillip takes Anne on a date as an apology, but is interrupted by his parents. They call Anne “the help”, and she runs away. Phillip goes after her and expresses his feelings by singing “Rewrite the Stars”. This was great not only because it contained the voices of two amazing actors, but because it used figurative language to bring attention to the harsh subject of discrimination. They spoke of why they couldn’t be together, and what they could do to change the way the world views them together. The stunts and skills they did made the scene look magical! Their words, dances, and feelings really brought the scene to life!

Meanwhile, Jenny falls in love with Barnum, but he rejects her because he’s married. She performs “Never Enough” again, but in a sorrowful, depressing tone. As the crowd applauds her, she kisses Barnum, and says goodbye. He then returns home and finds his circus on fire. Phillip almost dies trying to save Anne, not knowing she wasn’t in the fire. Barnum loses all of his money, and his wife. He performs a song called “From Now On”, in which he gets his wife and family back. Phillip awakes in the hospital, and Anne kisses him to thank him for risking his life for her. Once he gets better, he shares his money with Barnum, opening a new circus for them to perform.

The movie flashes forward, continuing their first performance “The Greatest Show”. P. T. Barnum tells Phillip he wants him to take over as The Greatest Showman, and he does. He and Anne kiss again, signaling their happy relationship. The movie ends with Barnum and his wife watching their daughters do ballet. His last lines are “... It’s everything you ever want, It’s everything you ever need, And it’s here right in front of you...”

The cast was incredible; the songs were spectacular, and movie overall was sensational, unforgettable, and Epic!