The movie The Greatest Showman imprinted loveable lingering lyrics on my mind that won’t seem to leave and a seraphic smile on my face that fits just right when thinking about the movie.

The Greatest Showman hit the US theaters on December 20th and received mixed reviews, to put it gently. I walked into the movie theater, snacks and friends in tow, excited for what awaited. I had heard previews of a few songs and had even listened to a couple of them on the way to the theater itself. Needless to say, I was eager to see the show behind the music. My friends, on the other hand, did not hold the same enthusiasm.

The lights dimmed and the movie rolled; the early life of P.T Barnum, played by Hugh Jackman, played across the screen. Young Barnum is seen as a poor child, working with his father as a tailor for the rich Hallett family, the very family of his love interest named Charity, played by Michelle Williams.

It isn’t long, as time passes by with the help of the song “A Million Dreams’ to carry it along; Barnum is now a grown man trying to make a living in the rough and tough world. After he gets laid off from his job, he thinks about possible ways to attract attention and make a profit, while still bringing smiles to peoples faces. One thing leads to the next, and a circus was born.

Some people had complaints about how the movie shows P. T. Barnum in a much better light than he really was, the true Barnum being known as a racist and having a show full of lies, and I can agree that the person on the screen is not the same person in real life. However, the important thing to remember is that this movie was BASED on the life of Barnum–not an exact biography. Plus, this movie was made for kids, so if you’re sitting there with your big kid opinions, then you’re only looking to be let down.

Another topic of controversy I’ve heard is about Zac Efron and Zendaya playing a want-to-be couple, their characters being Phillip Carlyle and Anne Wheeler respectively. The duo played each other’s love interests in the movie, singing one of the movies more popular songs, “Rewrite the Stars,” one of my personal favorites. Zendaya flies through the air as a trapeze artist, similar to that of a dove — gracefully but strong, while Efron captivates the crowd with his impressive notes that appear to dance through space on the way to your ear. The only disappointment people seem to have from these two is that their characters were not based on specific people in mind. Which personally, doesn’t deter my love for the film.

Although everything in the movie is not completely accurate such as where and when the characters met, and their interactions and their relationships being partially untrue, that does not take away from the pure originality and beauty that is The Greatest Showman.

I think the most surprising and incredible part of the movie is the fact that it was directed by a first-time director, Michael Williams, making his break with The Greatest Showman. Personally, I think this makes the movie all the more captivating. From the unique camera angles while following the trapeze artists to the pure realistic script – everything was done beautifully.

The characters were truly brought to life by an amazing cast, all fitting their roles perfectly. I think it’s hard not to fall in love with such relatable and loveable characters. The emotions felt for the characters were real and so were the tears in the times of trial. From almost relationships to songs that just choke you up, it was definitely a movie filled with feeling.

Short way to put it, only seeing The Greatest Showman once will “never be enough” for me.