Watered Down Elephants

After much anticipation, I finally got my ticket to the big show. So the question is, was it truly the greatest show on earth or just another mud show?

Let me start by briefly giving my thoughts on the book by Sara Gruen. Insanely popular, easy to read and with an absolutely perfect setting for a circus fan, I found the book held my attention with an interesting cast of characters and decent pacing. Her knowledge of circus history is questionable, and at times I felt like she threw around "circus-speak" with a reckless abandon; if only to make a point that she tried to study and bring a touch of authenticity. Highlights for me were the shady circus elements--the booze, the grift, the cooch tent etc. Some found the side story of the old man in the twilight of his life touching, while I found it a bit distracting and became anxious to be back in the sawdust. Minor quibbles aside, it was fun circus book that already felt like a movie.

The big screen version took all of the R-rated (read: interesting) aspects of the book and either glossed them over or left them out entirely. Instead of grit you get glamor. While the circus set pieces are beautiful, the same cannot be said the on screen chemistry of Jacob and Marlena. While not awful, it definitely seems flat at times and I found their moments to coincide with the times I felt the most bored. What also bothered me (besides the fucking annoying girl next to me who keep talking to the screen and making "awwww" remarks every two seconds) was the way the movie felt slower than the book. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

Needless to say, I didn't feel completely duped like a rube being pushed into the sideshow tent, however, I felt like it was more respectable than spectacle. A little more sex and booze and a little less pink lemonade and cotton candy and this could have been a center ring attraction.