If it wasn’t for MoviePass and getting back in town before my friends after the holidays, I would not have caught The Greatest Showman in theaters. Don’t get me wrong, I am a sucker for musicals. I have a theory that Mamma Mia 2 will get surprisingly good reviews. Maybe that is just wishful thinking. But this is all to say, I love a good looking man seeing, so despite lukewarm reviews I scooted down to the local regal for a matinee.

I know there was some controversy regarding this movie, since it romanticizes the life of P.T. Barnum, who is a pretty divisive figure, especially regarding his treatment of animals. I am going to move past that in the purpose of this review, since this is obviously a “Disney-fied” version. Hugh Jackman plays P.T. Barnum, a persistent performer with dreams of running his own show. The film essentially takes us through his early life, development of the circus, and its rise to popularity. The main struggles through the movie are based around his wish to fit into high society, leading to tension within his family and the circus.

The music is good, a few decent catchy numbers, but nothing as earwormy as “Remember Me” from Coco or even “I Get Overwhelmed” from A Ghost Story, both of which I watched recently. I think they fit well within the confines of the movie, but don’t anticipate going back to the soundtrack regularly. Maybe the title track. I think it will be interesting to see if any of these land an Oscar original song nomination.

Final praises are for Zac Efron and Zendaya. I tend to find “romance” Efron a little cheesy, and he definitely was, but it was entertaining so I am giving him a pass. I know their duet has been stuck in my sisters head for a few days, and it is deserved. 5.5/10