It feels like this film was working against itself from the beginning. There was so much anticipation surrounding it after its run on stage—a sense that it would be amazing—but presenting it as a recorded performance diminished some of the visual power you'd get seeing it live. We naturally expect higher production values when something is adapted for the screen. The narrative itself is wonderful, and I think it’s something kids at a particular age should experience. To be honest, I didn’t find it particularly captivating as a musical. I’m probably just accustomed to musicals with spoken sections interspersed between songs instead of constant singing. If there had been dialogue alongside eight or ten memorable numbers like Helpless, I would have rated it much higher. It remains an impressive show overall. I do want to mention the casting choices. As a white person, I didn’t find them problematic at all. I would have objected if they'd gone with an entirely white cast, as some people seemed to feel was necessary. I recall one person complaining, “What if they cast a white actor as Martin Luther King?” and my response was simply the opposite. There are far more Caucasian figures than people of color in our history books—probably around six for every hundred—and I’d be relieved when white audiences stop objecting whenever actors of color take on those roles, because that would suggest things have truly shifted. But we're not quite there yet.

Source on TMDB