The musical biography “The Greatest Showman” chronicles the life of P.T. Barnum, and it’s rather like one of Barnum’s shows in its own exuberant way: full of color, flash, spectacle and probably a fair amount of bunk.
Hugh Jackman stars as Barnum, and he brings the panache and glee only a dyed-in-the-wool song-and-dance man can to the project. (Remember that before he was discovered for “X-Men,” he was a musical-theater guy, notably as Curly in a revival of “Oklahoma!”)
Jackman’s Barnum puts on a brave face when he, a poor tailor’s son, romances the wealthy Charity (Michelle Williams), promising her a life of adventure and excitement.