Hamilton
Hamilton has seized a place in pop culture and captured the imagination of a generation in a way no other musical has since Les Miserables in the 1980’s. And not unlike Les Mis, Hamilton captures the energy and passion of a revolution on many levels. Lin Manuel Miranda (Alexander Hamilton) who wrote the music, book and lyrics, joined forces with director Thomas Kail and cinematographer Declan Quinn to bring the excitement of a live performance to the filmed version of the show. A live audience was present but not seen to add those authentic audible moments of response to great lines such as “Immigrants, we get the job done!” And the overall effect is to capture a magical moment of theatre history for posterity to enjoy.
Hamilton re-envisions the American Revolutionary era with Black and Latino actors recounting history through the medium of hip-hop, pop, jazz, and show tunes. The juxtaposition allows a fresh take on the story demystifying the founding fathers and the people around them allowing everyone of any race and station to identify with the birth of our country. The result is a vibrant nonstop extravaganza featuring some of the most talented stage performers of our generation.
Any viewer would be hard pressed to find a weak performance from any member of Miranda’s cast who have completely inhabited their characters exploring their loves, ambitions and fears in rich detail. Renee Elise Goldsberry’s Tony award-winning portrayal of Angelica Schuyler is such a mixture of power and vulnerability that it is simply unforgettable. Phillipa Soo’s plays Hamilton’s wife Eliza with endearing tenderness and Daveed Diggs nearly steals the show as both Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson with his high-energy effervescent humor and style. Christopher Jackson fills the boots of George Washington with passion and dignity that captures the aura of our first president, and Leslie Odom Jr. produces some of the most iconic musical moments of the show as Aaron Burr.
Viewers will benefit from having the ability to stop and rewind key moments in the show as Miranda’s hip-hop patter and witty dialogue flies at top speed for a solid two and a half hours; however, the conflict is taut and the story never loses steam. It is a well crafted musical full of rich moments and unforgettably catchy music that is stylized to reveal the inner qualities of each character. Aaron Burr, Hamilton’s nemesis, never enters the stage without a drop in music tempo. His character doesn’t get the synergy that is surrounding the budding American Revolution nor the hip-hop beat that Miranda has prescribed at the heart of it; therefore, Burr’s accompaniment subtly slips into a thin piano or flute infused jazz quality isolating him from the others. Eliza’s lyrics are simple and melodic to show her honest and trusting nature, while Angelica’s tunes are rapid fire pop to demonstrate her quick wit and ever-plotting brain. Jonathon Groff’s hilarious portrayal of King George III always shifts gears into a British 60’s pop style that immediately throws his character into the past separating him from the progressive forward thinking movement of the revolutionaries.
Miranda has created a world rich in detail and grand in scope that is exciting to visit again and again. This is a film well worth watching even if hip-hop music isn’t part of your regular musical diet. Content-wise Hamilton is laden with profanity and although Disney took out a few harsh expletives from the original show, the PG-13 is there for a reason. Hamilton has two affairs on his wife one physical and another emotional. The physical one is suggested through fully clothed dance and lyrics. It is worth noting that the ensemble cast, through lyrics, tries to warn Hamilton not to go through with the affair and both relationships have lasting negative consequences for which Hamilton pays a steep price.
Written by David Alford
Score 96 out of 100
Parents: Yes!
Teens: Yes (Keep in mind language and the affairs)
Children: No
Tots: No
