OUR Hamilton Reviews- Page 4

[Jarethan]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 12:25am

Just finished watching it with my wife, who is a Hamilton zealot whereas I just think it is a great musical.  I thought the production was excellent.  I thought that it benefitted from periodic close-ups, different camera angles, etc.

Several thoughts:

-- I thought LMM was great in the role, and more than ever feel that he should have won the Best Actor Tony.  I acknowledge, however, that I thought that Leslie Odom's performance was overrated the way I thought Joanna Gleason's was 30+ years ago.  I thought she was very fine, but that Patti Lupone's Reno Sweeney  in Anything Goes was one for the books, (and I am not a Lupone zealot).  I thought he was fine, but that LMM was better.  

-- I thought Daveed Diggs was even better than my memories, and I remembered a truly great performance.  There were little details in his movements, for example, that I did not remember and that definitely added to my enjoyment of his performance.  Definitely one of the great supporting actor musical performances in the last 50 years.

-- I really thought that Christopher Jackson and Ok (not gonna try to spell it)... were even better than I remembered as well.  In many, many years, Jackson would have won the Tony.

-- I did not see Jonathan Groff live, much to my regret.  Having seen him, I thought he was much better than Rory O'Malley, although I did cringe at the spit rolling down his chin the the first time he sang King George's song.  Someone really has to write a new musical for him.  He has a terrific voice, great charm, and has grown from cute handsome to adult handsome.  (How about George Bailey if Paul McCartney takes his time finishing the score he is writing, maybe Groff will be old enough to play George in the later years...he is clearly old enough to play George in the early scenes).  Give him a few years.

-- Phillippa Soo and Renee Elise Goldsberry were as good as I remembered. 

-- I will go to my grave arguing that the show is either over-directed or over-choreographed.  It was just too busy at times.  I felt there were several numbers that would have benefited from the ensemble not being on stage...they lost intimacy for me.

-- Clearly the star of Hamilton will always be the music and lyrics, but saving it for posterity with the original cast is a gift to anyone interested in musical theatre or in understanding a little more about our history, two ideas that one would not ever have expected to hear before 1776.

[poisonivy2]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 1:06am

Daveed Diggs is an automatic scene-stealer. Every time he speaks, I forget everyone else onstage. He's so funny and sharp. Not sure anyone could ever replace his impeccable timing and humor.

[sng]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 1:20am

now I know the sauce in groffsauce stands for Jonathan Groff's saliva

[Speed]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 1:28am

Jesus.  This show has won enough awards.  This exact show with these exact performances have already won awards.    Four years ago.  No need to give them Oscars too.  It's not a movie.

[HBP]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 1:31am

I don't cry very often and I am still crying. The cast was stunning.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 2:12am

Just finished an hour ago and still processing. I don't know what else there is to say about this masterpiece. There was a batch of "good" shows on B'way before the shutdown, and then there is Hamilton, in a league of its own. It really is that good, even on screen. I saw the original Broadway cast in February 2016 with every main principal, for which I am eternally grateful to have seen (there were 3 swings), and the film was just about as good. Expediting the release date and sending it straight to streaming did not do any harm whatsoever. Great job to all- cast, crew, camera people, and everyone at Disney!!!!!

Some random thoughts I had:

I held back my tears the whole time. Thank God.

The two muted f-bombs didn't bother me at all. 

Not a weak link in the cast yet again, but Lin-Manuel's singing voice is just "meh." He did give it everything he had on the acting side though. Seemed to convey much more emotion in the performances leading to up to his departure (among others).

Speaking of LMM, I thought I heard him change a line slightly during the first cabinet meeting: "Reticent, there isn't a plan he hasn't jettisoned." On the OBCR, it's "... he doesn't jettison." Anyone else hear this, or is it just me?

Leslie Odom Jr. is the star of the show, as if it weren't obvious beforehand. I didn't hear him flub any of "The Room Where It Happens," unlike one user suggested.

I won't be surprised if Jonathan Groff's spit becomes a viral meme in the days and weeks to come. Also, what's with the constant closeups on George III? We seemed to lack some more for the other characters.

Chris Jackson WENT OFF the final minute of "One Last Time" as he started crying. I don't ever remember him sounding like that live. Leslie had some nice little riffs throughout as well.

The three Schuylers keep breaking my heart every damn time. In these times, it's especially easy to relate to all the pain Eliza goes through. Marvelous portrayal by Pippa Soo- it's too bad her subsequent projects never blossomed.

Can we talk about the freakin' ENSEMBLE for a second? They're doing tough, nonstop Andy Blankenbuehler choreo for almost the whole show, yet musically, they still sound as spectacular as they are on the cast recording. No other ensemble on Broadway as of March sounds like them every night. It's simply amazing that Ariana DeBose and Ephraim Sykes went from ensemblists to Tony nominees in just 3-4 years, respectively. Hope Easterbrook and Elizabeth Judd were solid as well, and filled in Emmy and Betsy's shoes beautifully.

The orchestra sounds gorgeous as per usual (Lackety Lac Lac Lac!!!). I have many favorite underscoring moments throughout the show, but there was one not featured on the cast album that sounded simplistic yet beautiful. It's when Eliza sobs over Philip's dead body and the violins come in with the "someday, someday" motif from "Dear Theodosia," transitioning into "It's Quiet Uptown."

Bottom line is, chances are Disney+ will remove this title whenever B'way begins its gradual reopening process, because Hamilton will most certainly survive and they have to keep making people buy tickets. If you keep waiting for it, you will probably throw away your shot. Hamilton is not to be missed. 

 

 

 

 

 

Updated On: 7/4/20 at 02:12 AM

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 2:33am

Update: Twitter cannot get enough of Groff's spit thus far. Here's one that made me laugh:

https://twitter.com/plvtties/status/1279104669415911424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1279104669415911424%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cinemablend.com%2Fnews%2F2549470%2Fso-many-hamilton-reaction-tweets-focus-on-jonathan-groffs-spit

And a hilarious "intermission" tweet which got Oak's approval:

https://twitter.com/kelliplansitall/status/1278966112085069830

 

Updated On: 7/4/20 at 02:33 AM

[GrantGrant]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 3:22am

I didn't expect to get such an emotional reaction to this. I was a wreck throughout act 2. My favorite detail I noticed was throughout the beginning of "The Election of 1800", Madison keeps wiping away tears for about a minute. I do hope this get a theatrical and home media release at some point. Even though I saw this on a 4K tv, I really want to see this on a massive theater screen just to soak in all the details.

[Fosse76]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 3:35am

Jordan Levinson said: "Update: Twitter cannot get enough of Groff's spit thus far. Here's one that made me laugh:

https://twitter.com/plvtties/status/1279104669415911424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1279104669415911424%7Ctwgr%5E&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cinemablend.com%2Fnews%2F2549470%2Fso-many-hamilton-reaction-tweets-focus-on-jonathan-groffs-spit

And a hilarious "intermission" tweet which got Oak's approval:

https://twitter.com/kelliplansitall/status/1278966112085069830"

When I saw him in Little Shop of Horrors, after his third song or so, it became a point of laughter everytime.

[mj21723]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 7:53am

A few thoughts.  I saw most of the original cast in March 2016.  Chris Jackson and Renee Elise Goldsberry were both out.  I honestly forgot Renee was because Alysha Deslorieux was fabulous in the role.  Austin Smith as George Washington was a miss for me.  I am very happy I got to finally see Chris Jackson.  He is George Washington!  Seth Stewart was also out and I've been a fan of his since Heights.  Enjoyed seeing his dancing in this, finally!  Leslie Odom Jr.'s performance live for me was phenomenal.  The film did not capture this for me.  He was great, but something was missing for me as compared to seeing it live in the theatre.  Overall, loved it and will be watching again tonight with friends on a projector!

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 8:16am

mj21723 said: "A few thoughts. I saw most of the original cast in March 2016. Chris Jackson and Renee Elise Goldsberry were both out. I honestly forgot Renee was because Alysha Deslorieux was fabulous in the role. Austin Smith as George Washington was a miss for me. I am very happy I got to finally see Chris Jackson. He is George Washington! Seth Stewart was also out and I've been a fan of his since Heights. Enjoyed seeing his dancing in this, finally! Leslie Odom Jr.'s performance live for me was phenomenal. The film did not capture this for me. He was great, but something was missing for me as compared to seeing it live in the theatre. Overall, loved it and will be watching again tonight with friends on a projector!"

I think Leslie was playing It more nuanced here for the cameras, but I also felt he looked more timid at many times here. For me, Phillipa, Renee, Christopher and Daveed were the highlights. Also loved Oak and Grofff. Overall, I loved it, but I don't see how it will get any Oscar love. For a best picture, all the technical elements have to be spotless, and I felt there were a number of lighting issues. While it's a gorgeous recording, I can't see it in any Oscar categories outside of editing. It will depend what films actually come out the rest of this year as far as acting, but I only see maybe a nod for Renee. 

 

[theatretenor2]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 8:22am

Also, who the f is The Spool? This has raves everywhere except from The Spool, a review that focuses on what's happening in the world today and how Hamilton fails to connect with that. What.the.actual.f---.

[schubox]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 8:24am

mj21723 said: "A few thoughts. I saw most of the original cast in March 2016. Chris Jackson and Renee Elise Goldsberry were both out. I honestly forgot Renee was because Alysha Deslorieux was fabulous in the role. Austin Smith as George Washington was a miss for me. I am very happy I got to finally see Chris Jackson. He is George Washington! Seth Stewart was also out and I've been a fan of his since Heights. Enjoyed seeing his dancing in this, finally! Leslie Odom Jr.'s performance live for me was phenomenal. The film did not capture this for me. He was great, but something was missing for me as compared to seeing it live in the theatre. Overall, loved it and will be watching again tonight with friends on a projector!"

Agree about Odom. The first time I saw this I was in the front row and the last minute or so of Room Where it Happens was overwhelming in person. The emotion from Odom and the reaction from the crowd was palpable and there was a long, long ovation that he finally had to cut off. He is great in this filmed version as well, but I agree there is something a little missing. Maybe he played it different with the cameras because I think there are a few moments from him in the D+ version (his face in Non Stop and the close ups in The World Was Wide Enough for example) that you wouldn't pick up in the theater. 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 9:50am

Jarethan said:

BFD. Are you always that much of an a**-hole? 

Is this a rhetorical question? I sure do hope you didn't lose sleep waiting for an answer. Happy 4th!! 

























"

 

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 9:51am

Broadway61004 said: 

Yes, I clearly think that this will be ineligible simply because I need a hug. You are spot on. Thank you!"

Not only do you need a hug, you need lessons in reading comprehension! Happy 4th!! 

 

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 9:57am

Philippa Soo, Leslie Odom, Christopher Jackson, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Diggs. Each one giving a magnificent performance, worthy of awards. And the staging and design are as award-worthy as the writing and the performances. And for all that to happen with such a sophisticated and nuanced telling of history--and for us to be able to see it as this precise moment in history--it's really a miraculous creation.

[Hairspray0901]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 11:56am

I saw most of the original cast in March of 2016 (As well as the replacement cast in October 2017); Lin was out - I bought my tickets right before they released his schedule (sigh) and Pippa Soo was also out. Needless to say, Javier Munoz and Carleigh Bettiol were both insanely talented in their respective roles. However, after watching this - there is something magical about the OBC and I am so happy this was filmed with them. Pippa, Leslie, Renee and Daveed were the standouts for me. Every scene was perfection. It was shot beautifully. The one thing the film doesn't capture, in my opinion, is the energy felt at the theatre in person; nothing can capture that and it made me really really miss Broadway.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 12:19pm

 

[iwuldwf]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 1:10pm

Jordan Levinson said: "Bottom line is, chances are Disney+ will remove this title whenever B'way begins its gradual reopening process, because Hamilton will most certainly survive and they have to keep making people buy tickets. If you keep waiting for it, you will probably throw away your shot. Hamilton is not to be missed."

Disney did not pay $75 million for this recording just to shelve it when Broadway reopens.  They couldn't care less about the theatrical production's ticket sales - they only care about adding/retaining subscribers for their streaming service.

LMM also responded to a tweet asking "For how long it will be available on D+?" by saying "You will just have it. For as many times as you like, right next to A Goofy Movie and Talespin and An Extremely Goofy Movie..."

[SmoothLover]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 2:17pm

Sounds like the timing of this filmed production could not have been better given the pandemic, the election, Black Lives Matter and the closures of Broadway theatres.

[dmwnc1959]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 2:23pm

Watched it for the third time. Still love this soooo much. Here’s a couple of interesting reads:
 

https://www.vulture.com/2020/07/lin-manuel-miranda-tweets-disney-hamilton-behind-the-scenes.html

http://https://slate.com/culture/2020/07/hamilton-movie-ending-explained.html
 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 2:33pm

Agree about Odom. The first time I saw this I was in the front row and the last minute or so of Room Where it Happens was overwhelming in person. The emotion from Odom and the reaction from the crowd was palpable and there was a long, long ovation that he finally had to cut off. He is great in this filmed version as well, but I agree there is something a little missing. Maybe he played it different with the cameras because I think there are a few moments from him in the D+ version (his face in Non Stop and the close ups in The World Was Wide Enough for example) that you wouldn't pick up in the theater."

He was the very last hold out for this show, and it was a very last minute decision for him to be in this, and in my opinion his performance shows a lack of energy, unlike when I saw him do it live on stage at the Public and on Broadway. 

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 3:04pm

SmoothLover said: "Sounds like the timing of this filmed production could not have been better given the pandemic, the election, Black Lives Matter and the closures of Broadway theatres."

Sweets, this being released now (on July 3) was intentional as it was originally intended to be released in cinemas in October 2021.  Once the pandemic started, etc., they chose to debut the thing on Disney + months earlier.  Only new addition that transpired post-announcement was BLM.  

[Fosse76]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 3:14pm

Sutton Ross said: "Agree about Odom. The first time I saw this I was in the front row and the last minute or so of Room Where it Happens was overwhelming in person. The emotion from Odom and the reaction from the crowd was palpable and there was a long, long ovation that he finally had to cut off. He is great in this filmed version as well, but I agree there is something a little missing. Maybe he played it different with the cameras because I think there are a few moments from him in the D+ version (his face in Non Stop and the close ups in The World Was Wide Enough for example) that you wouldn't pick up in the theater."

He was the very last hold out for this show, and it was a very last minute decision for him to be in this, and in my opinion his performance shows a lack of energy, unlike when I saw him do it live on stage at the Public and on Broadway."

I remember hearing at the time he was the last holdout. I wondered if he finally agreed because they told him that they would simply shoot around him, and film his characters' scenes in an empty theater with someone else. I don't know how realistic that would be, though. I know they did it with Rachelle Ann Go in Miss Saigon (she'd already left the show, and filmed her scenes in an empty theater, but her character is only in a few scenes). Logistics aside, I know the UK's unions are weaker, so that may not have been a realistic approach here, but I remember thinking that at the time.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 7/4/20 at 3:29pm

They wouldn’t shoot around him. This is a stage production so they simply would have used another actor in the role. Simple as that. I’m sure there was another actor as a Plan B in case Odom declined to participate.