Les Miserables

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption-a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's (Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever. In December 2012, the world's longest-running musical brings its power to the big screen in Tom Hooper's sweeping and spectacular interpretation of Victor Hugo's epic tale. -- (C) Universal

PG-13, 2 hr. 38 min.
Musical & Performing Arts, Drama

Directed By: Tom Hooper

Written By: Claude-Michel Schonberg, Alain Boublil

1. Why do People Gotta Get All Up In a Tizzy about this flick??

Last night I finally had the privilege of seeing Les Miserables, the epic new movie of the classic musical from director Tom Hooper. This is a particularly difficult movie to review because it carries with it the burden of having classic music and material attached to it. That means, people go into it with preconditioned expectations and perceptions. (This is Anne Hathaway's second performance this year in a movie where she's playing a character with high expectations, Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises being the first one, now Fantine. I got mad respect for her for it, too.) It's one of those pieces that people hold sacred for whatever reason, and they want it to be exactly what they've been conditioned to think of it in their precious little minds.That's why people get all in a tizzy about it.

I grew up performing theatre in high school and college, so my encounter with Les Miserables comes mostly from watching countless young hopefuls perform the songs in various auditions. I'm sure most casting directors would tell you they die a little inside every time someone gets up in an audition and sings "I Dreamed a Dream", or "Castle on a Cloud" because they have become stale and cliche. Desperate wannabes rely on the emotional impact of the songs to get them through. People with musical training or experience judge this movie differently than the general public probably will. They've heard various arrangements of the songs, and maybe they expect a particular thing from each song.

2. Tom Hooper Doesn't Take the Easy Way Out

Hooper made the famous decision to film the actors singing live rather than pre-recording their musical performances. They all had hidden ear pieces and listened to a piano playing their part to help them stay on pitch and in the right key. This amazing decision did a few things: it freed the actors from being chained by the "original" interpretation of the songs. It allowed them to let their characters breathe and react to their situations in the moment. This is obvious in the final movie, because some performances seem almost absurdly over-the-top. Everyone is buzzing about how "terrible" Russell Crowe's performance is, but I thought he was okay. The strength of everyone around him elevates his performance. The one I thought was absurdly over-the-top is Eddie Redmayne as Marius. His soft, bleating falsetto made me uncomfortable and actually made my wife and I laugh a couple of times. The girl that plays young Cossette is also flat and emotionless. But, I can forgive that since she's just a little girl. She probably did as well as any little girl could do in that heavy role.

Tom Hooper's choice, however, allowed some other actors to shine. Anne Hathaway poured every ounce of heart and soul in her performance, with powerful results. The peak of her performance is in I Dreamed A Dream. I was moved to tears and found it to be the most powerful moment in any movie of 2012. I was enthralled and captivated by such a raw moment of vulnerability.

Move over, Daniel-Day Lewis. Hugh Jackman deserves this year's Oscar for Best Actor. His range, versatility, and believability as Jean Valjean is incredible. Singing live greatly benefited him and he carries most of the film.

Other Stuff

My criticisms: Young Cossette and Eddie Redmayne, the running time of  2 hours and 38 mins wears a bit thin by the end, and Russell Crowe was just okay.

The Bottom Line
The pacing, editing, sets, art direction, cinematography, scenery, costumes, make-up, dancing, and special effects of this movie are not to be overlooked. I don't say this very often, but it is a remarkable cinematic achievement. The themes of Grace, Forgiveness, God's love and purpose for humankind ring true and deep. Tom Hooper and company really made something special here. Though others may disagree, it is my new favorite movie of 2012.