Hamilton

Starring: Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom, Jr., Daveed Diggs, Renee Elise Goldsbury, Jonathan Groff, Chris Jackson, Jasmine Cephas Kones, Okieriete Onaodowan, Anthony Ramos, Phillipa Soo
Directed by: Thomas Kail
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Drama
2020

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: The hit Broadway play about Alexander Hamilton is filmed with its original cast.

Review:

Tim: I wasn't quite sure what to think about Hamilton as a movie, but not because I'm not a fan. I saw the play (in Boston, not Broadway, unfortunately) and loved it. The issue is how to evaluate this movie. It's a filmed version of the play with the original cast. So, it's like you are grading a movie for being a play. It's all a bit complicated. After a good deal of thought, I can confidently say that Hamilton is a great movie.

I suppose this film's release on Disney+ (and the coverage it received across social media) could inspire more Broadway films to follow suit and released filmed versions. I wouldn't be opposed to this, but it feels like it would be hard to compete against this one. First off, the play was a cultural phenomenon, which sold out for nearly the entire run. It was prohibitively expensive for most of America to see the play. I was able to see it, but not in New York City and not with the original cast. The opportunity to give the world the chance to see the original cast in the play was too good to pass up. Even though I'd seen the play, I was ecstatic to get a chance to see Lin-Manuel Miranda, Leslie Odom Jr., and all the others in the roles they established.

As someone who did see the play, I can tell you that I found it a remarkable experience to see the original cast. The play is fantastic, but there's something undeniably powerful about seeing Miranda and the others in these roles. It gave me a newfound appreciation for the play. The cast is truly excellent. Lin-Manuel Miranda is the man most responsible for this, as he did the music, lyrics, and book. He created this and getting a chance to see him play Hamilton was wonderful. He created something that will endure with this unexpected play. I loved getting a chance to see him. Leslie Odom Jr. is obviously extremely talented and I enjoyed him as Aaron Burr. He's a heck of a singer. That being said, I was more blown away by Daveed Diggs, who is one of my favorites in the film. His Layfette is excellent, easily one of the highlights of the first half of the play, and then later, his Thomas Jefferson is one of the most memorable of the back half. I loved seeing him in this role. Chris Jackson was great as George Washington. I enjoyed Phillipa Soo, who is ane extremely talented singer as well. I do have to give special credit to Jonathan Groff. I became a fan of his due to his work on "Mindhunter", and he's shown his singing skills in Frozen and Frozen II. He was hilarious here, as he commands the spotlight as King George. He provided wonderful comic relief in a small but unforgettable role. I loved his performance. As a whole, the cast is truly so effective.

I have to say, I love what Miranda did with this. He took one of the founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton, and told his story in a way that reflects the America of today, not the America of the late 1700s. Hamilton's story is incredibly white- as American politics were at our founding. The story is fantastic, but it represents our roots, not the America as it exists today. His willingness to subvert history- not only by casting minority actors in "white" roles, but by having playful fun with the story (there's rap battles, for examples) while explaining these historical events was a fantastic way to tell this story. I know some people have complained of this approach, but I loved it. Why not do this? His play tells the story of these men in a way that's more accessible for audiences today, plus reflects the America that exists today. I thought it was brilliant.

The music is really good, too. Being a fan of Groff and his performance, "You'll Be Back" is one of my favorites. I loved "My Shot". "Helpless" is a wonderful piece of music, sung beautifully by Soo. "The Room Where It Happens" is so memorable. The Cabinet Battles are excellent and so funny. The lyrics in this play are just fantastic- they're brilliant. Miranda was able to take true historical events and relay them in a funny and entertaining way. You could try to replicate this, but you couldn't capture the genius of what Miranda did. That makes this so entertaining- to hear these actors singing his words so quickly- it's just incredibly difficult.

It's interesting because so much of my praise for this involves the play, not necessarily the movie. The strength of the movie is that it captures all the energy and excitement of the play so well. Seeing the cast in these roles, close up (way closer than you'd likely be if you went to the play) was an incredible experience. That's what makes this a great movie. I'm so happy that this movie exists, as it will bring the play to a far greater audience than the play ever could.

Hamilton is a great movie. It's a great play, but that is effectively captured here. Even after seeing the play, I was so entertained watching this movie. I loved seeing the original cast. This is the first great movie I've seen in 2020, which also makes me happy. This has been a train wreck of a year- it's wonderful that something this good could come out of it.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating- 8



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