While I wrote a rave review of the filmed production earlier in this thread and am a big fan of the show, I never fault anyone for not liking it - or any play or musical. rattleNwoolypenguin didn't hate it, just didn't find the show emotionally involving. (One of my daughters and my spouse love the show; my older daughter didn't like it at all. Different strokes.)
But I'll take the opportunity to shower the show with praise again. Last night, I wanted to rewatch "You'll Be Back" just to see the now-famous Groff drool - because I was too busy laughing to catch it the first time. (I'm with HogansHero that it was a good directorial choice to leave it in - the dude is crazy; that's the point.) The first great thing is that I was able to do that. Would that I could do the same for many other musicals I really enjoyed or that I never saw. But what happened next was the sort of thing that I associate with older films I like: You catch it on television and then you end up continuing to watch.
Even though it was late, I just kept going - finished the rest of the first act and only turned it off after "The Room Where it Happens" because it was almost 1:30 and my partner insisted on going to sleep.
I was too picky the first time I watched the show, mostly because I was worried it wouldn't live up to my expectations and memories from seeing most of the original cast in 2016 - and judging it more critically. If you really don't like the show, the film probably won't totally change your mind, although the "seats" are quite good and the performances top-notch. Renee Elise Goldsberry has never been matched as Angelica, and Philippa Soo's performance is wonderful throughout in a role that's tricky because Eliza is supposed to be such a good and selfless person.
I started doing what I've done on repeat visits to the stage show: notice other things I wasn't focusing on the first time, especially the lighting and ensemble. The one-two punch of "Helpless" and "Satisfied" still gets me, and then Leslie Odom Jr. gives his best vocal performance of the film on "Wait For It," a song I've tended to appreciate more than love in the past. And then there's Daveed Diggs. His performance on stage was a marvel, and it's so great to see it again. "Guns and Ships" is such a fantastic blizzard of words and energy, and Christopher Jackson's soulful conclusion is an unsung favorite. "What'd I Miss" is a perfect introduction to Jefferson - and Diggs' larger role in the second act.
But what popped for me, because I was watching on a better television, is the lighting and movement by the dancers. It's such a smartly constructed show with so much to watch even though the camera is guiding you. The film reminded me of why I've seen it five times in person, always noticing something I hadn't caught before. And the score, my goodness. Everyone has their own taste, but it's one of the best I have ever heard.
I know there's a tendency towards Hamilton burnout from some people, a fact made worse by the relentless promotion. Even I have occasionally felt that way; it's hard to root for the overdog, the show that costs a fortune to see. The backlash over the sugercoated portrayals of the Founding Fathers - always there but getting a lot more attention due to this year's Black Lives Matter demonstrations - is a legitimate critique of a show that should be treated seriously. Recent events have raised the question again of whether Hamilton will turn out to be regarded as an Obama-era relic that won't speak to theatergoers or young people in the future.
But the film records Hamilton at its peak (even if the show's status as Broadway's best-selling musical could only be stopped by a pandemic). It's such a treat to see it.
Updated On: 7/7/20 at 12:29 AM
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