Les Miserables

In the summer between 6th and 7th grade, my school's required summer reading book was Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables." Looking at the book I feared it would be tough to read, not only was it the longest book I had ever read to that point but it was full of lavish description that I was not yet used to in a book. Five years later, it is still, and will always be, my favorite book I have ever read. Then, this past January, I got to see the musical adaptation of the book on stage..it is one of my favorite shows I have ever seen. So as you can imagine, I was ready to pass out when I learned that Academy Award winning director Tom Hopper ("The King's Speech") would be bringing the musical to the big screen. And when the casting list was released, when I saw that one of my favorite actors (Hugh Jackman) would be playing Jean Valjean, I had no words. Would this new film come to hold such a high place in my heart as the book and the show?

It is the year 1815, and prisoner Jean Valjean (Jackman), who has been a prisoner for nineteen years after stealing a loaf of bread, has just been released on parole. Everywhere he goes he is rejected by those who look down on him, until a bishop offers him shelter for the night. It is this bishop that shows Valjean the grace and love of God. It is this revelation that compels Valjean to become a new man as he breaks his parole and sets off for an honest life.

Eight years later and he is the mayor of a town and owner of a factory. But his seemingly happy life is soon plagued with problems. The first starts when Valjean notices a man in his office, the Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), who once ruled over him in prison, is ruthlessly hunting Jean Valjean because he skipped parole. His second problem arises when he encounters a miserable lady in the streets.

Fantine (Anne Hathaway) was a worker in the factory until she was fired when they discovered that she had an illegitimate child named Cosette. Now, trying to scramble together money to provide for her child by selling her hair, teeth, and body, she does not know how to go on. That is when Valjean comes to her and promises to take her child into his care. The remainder of the film tells of Valjean and his lifelong struggle to outrun Javert and take care of Cosette in the city of Paris where revolution is brewing.  

The first question I had when I was thinking ahead to this film concerned the amount of singing. Many know that the stage musical has no lines of spoken dialogue, it is all singing. Well I was happy to see that the movie is almost the same way. Ninety-nine percent of the film is sung, only a very small part is spoken, and I love it. All of the conversations, monologues, and songs that the characters sing by themselves, to another, or to a crowd just wraps you in to the story and mesmerizes you every step of the way.

But the songs would feel empty if not for the powerful performances behind them, and Hugh Jackman has given a performance perfectly worthy of his first Academy Award. The passion and emotion that he brings to the beloved character bring Jean Valjean to life like never before. His voice is incredible and his great effort makes this character one of the most memorable in the past decade.

However, it is Anne Hathaway that steals every scene that she is in. We have heard her version of "I Dreamed A Dream" in the trailers for the film, but in context, in it's entirety, the song is heartbreakingly beautiful. And every note she hits is beautiful. Her acting is so powerful and so real, I was asking myself "Where did that come from?" Look to her to sweep the Best Supporting Actress awards this year.

The love story between Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) and the revolutionary leader Marius (Eddie Redmayne) is another major story arc of the film. Thankfully for us. Their voices harmonize greatly. Seyfried hits two of the highest notes in the whole film and Redmayne gets my award for best voice (which is saying something).

Then there is Russell Crowe. Let me make it clear that I am NOT saying that Crowe has a bad voice by any means. However, when you compare his voice to every other voice in this film, he is obviously the weakest link, which is not the best thing to be when you have to portray the movie's conflicted protagonist. There were times when I was very happy with Crowe's performance such as his solo in "Stars," one of my favorite songs in the movie, but there were other times where his voice made me cringe. That being said, his acting make up for it, and I would not have wanted another actor to portray Javert.

All of the performances in "Les Mis" are noteworthy: the perfectly casted Thenardiers (Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter), the revolution leader Enjolras (Aaron Tveit), the beautiful Eponine (Samantha Barks), buts what makes the movie truly spectacular is the compelling story. The story of an angry man who, through the grace and mercy of God, has transformed his life into a life of putting the needs of others above himself, and has learned the supreme power of love. And that transformation, portrayed so well by Jackman, is inspiring.

The story of Jean Valjean is one of the greatest in all literature. It will touch the hearts of every one who gives themselves over to the musical epic. Tom Hopper has created another masterpiece, full of lavish sets, epic scope, and brilliant performances. Never before has a blockbuster film had its actors sing live on camera in a film that is singing from beginning to end. Because of this, "Les Miserables" is a grand achievement in cinema, and one of the greatest accomplishments and films to ever grace the screens. I give it four big stars out of four.  

"Les Miserables" has a running time of two hours and thirty three minutes and is rated PG-13 for suggestive and sexual material, violence, and thematic elements