As light and sugary sweet as cotton candy, this version of P.T. Barnum's life is homogenized and sanitized family fun. Hugh Jackman stars as Barnum and there is no doubting his talent as an actor and singer. After his wonderful dramatic turn in "Logan" earlier this year, this new film proves he can do pretty much anything.
Mr. Jackman is joined by Michele Williams as his wife, Charity and Zac Efron as his eventual partner, Phillip Carlyle ( a fictionalized version of James Anthony Bailey). The performers of Barnum's circus are wonderful and standouts are Zendaya as Ann, the trapeze artist and Keala Settle as the bearded lady. Also co-starring are Rebecca Ferguson as the Swedish singer, Jenny Lind and Paul Sparks as James Gordon Bennet, the founder of the NY Herald and an early critic of Barnum.
There are memorable song and dance sequences and the film does exactly what it's meant to do despite the fact it takes much liberty with Barnum's real life. It speeds through his early years to concentrate on the adult version of P.T. Barnum and how his circus was born.Even if it is a fluff piece with no real depth, it's all good, clean, holiday fun for the family,
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