Hype for a certain piece of entertainment can be dangerous. There may come a time when your expectations are so high that something can only disappoint. The play Hamilton, which is about one of the “founding fathers” of America, is something I had heard a lot of praise for in several podcasts. The play was always sold out and ticket prices were astronomical. And considering the subject, I had reservations. When the soundtrack was released I may have played it, but didn’t give it my full attention and that was it. I couldn’t imagine that this play was really that special. When Hamilton appeared on Disney+ last week, I had to see it, however, to finally give this piece my full attention and to form an opinion for myself about this historic musical. And I’m glad I did.
This film is not one in the traditional sense. It is a recording of the play, but it was recorded on a number of different evenings in front of an audience and once without, so that cameras could be used on stage to get the viewer close to the actors. The result is a registration that allows you to see everything in detail in a way that you wouldn’t be able to have when you watched this live. You have the best seat in the house at any time here. But even if a musical is filmed beautifully, it all doesn’t matter if the content isn’t up to scratch. But in this regard Hamilton does not disappoint either.
Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote it all on his own over a period of several years and has succeeded with his team in creating a piece that is extremely impressive. The non-stop music is mainly a mix of hip hop and R&B, with a high text density. Especially the first time, it is therefore recommended to turn on the subtitles in order not to miss a word. The story is compelling and makes clear what a challenge it was for America to fight itself free from England and then set up a state system that works, although not perfect, and how important Hamilton’s role was in all this. The whole musical is full of drama, action and humor and musically is very strong as well. Hip hop fans will enjoy it even more when they recognize small pieces of classic lyrics by artists such as Mobb Deep, DMX, The Notorious B.I.G. and others. But even if you do not have that knowledge, you’ll enjoy it just as much.
The acting is strong, with my personal favorite being Renée Elise Goldsberry in her role of Angelica. She’s responsible for the most memorable moments during the song Satisfied with her vocals and rap, supported in the way in which time is reversed. Daveed Diggs also impresses with some very energetic, very fast raps that support his flamboyant character. The film consists of two parts, the first part of which I liked slightly more because of its energy. However, the second, more personal part, also has enough to enjoy.
It is not often that something can live up to the hype, but in the case of Hamilton, it is entirely justified. It is actually rare that I see a movie a second time, but I have already seen it three times in just over a week, the soundtrack is on regularly and I have already read half of the accompanying book. In other words, this currently is my favorite movie this year.
[score9]
Interesting to read the many debates on whether or not this is a “movie” (definitely not for me), but it seems nearly everyone is together in loving Hamilton. I liked it but not as much as most. It took a while for me to get in sync with it. Wasn’t crazy about the first third. But it really kicks in and I ended up onboard.