Hamilton (2020)
I know Hamilton already has fans but until I saw this live recording of the 2015 musical, I wasn’t among them. Now, I see what the big deal is. While no film can quite capture the energy of a live performance, this presentation gives you a view and an experience no box-office seat could match. Packed with terrific songs, excellent performances, and impressive visuals, you’ll want to watch it over and over.
In 1776, 19-year-old Alexander Hamilton (Lin-Manuel Miranda) arrives in New York City. There, he quickly makes a name for himself despite his empty pockets and lowly status as an orphaned immigrant from the Caribbean. His wit and unquenchable desire for more leads him to greatness and setup his downfall. The film - divided into two acts - follows his career as the aide-de-camp to General George Washington (Christopher Jackson), the first Secretary of the Treasury, his marriage to Eliza Schuyler (Phillipa Soo), personal tragedies, and his eventual death.
At 160 minutes, Hamilton can seem intimidating but don't worry. It includes a handy-dandy intermission during which you can stretch your legs. Theoretically, you could also stop it there and resume play at a later time. I doubt you'll want to. Once Hamilton gets going, you don’t want it to stop. This movie is no ordinary history lesson. Packed with wall-to-wall songs inspired by modern genres like hip hop, R&B, pop, and soul, the plot moves quickly through eras and events you’re familiar with (even if all you have is a rudimentary knowledge of American history) while revealing "new" events. Many of the lyrics come in so fast you’ll struggle to keep up but the performances fill in the gaps. You can always tell who’s who, what’s going on, and most importantly, what it means to Alexander Hamilton. He’s the focus of the story, a complicated person we’ve not had the chance to meet until now.
Another modern aspect is the cast. Normally I’d raise an eyebrow at the willy-nilly swapping of real-life people’s races - it'd be doubly uncomfortable considering we see extremely racist real-life people morphed into something they weren't… that rule doesn’t apply here. This is a movie and a play too, and plays exist in a different kind of reality. A staircase from which King George III (Jonathan Groff) descends is a symbol of much more. A couple of chairs transports us from a port to a bar. An actor playing double roles is just an opportunity to see them again. You won’t have to use your imagination as much as you’re used to, however. This is a first-rate production brilliantly directed by Thomas Kail. There are many interesting and novel choices made throughout, more than enough to make you overlook the few points where the camera could’ve been slightly better positioned. There are few edits and when they are used, they pack a punch.
Even without the marvelous cast, Hamilton would be a sight to behold. The performers’ arresting voices and the songs elevates this to a level that may have some people thinking they needn’t bother with a live performance. Or maybe they’ll see this as a way to watch and re-watch the show enough times to memorize all of the tunes - there’s no way you could pick just one favorite. When you see the cast of Hamilton bow, the o-screen audience won’t be the only one getting up to cheer. (January 16, 2021)
