Christmas day saw the release of one of 2012’s most anticipated films—”Les Misérables.” This adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic novel has translated beautifully from page to stage, but it remains to be seen if the same may be said of the screen.
Set in 19th century France against the backdrop of the French Revolution, “Les Misérables” follows the life story of Jean Valjean (Oscar Nominee Hugh Jackman), an ex-prisoner who has spent his years hiding from both history and the French police officer Javert (Russel Crowe) after breaking parole. Having built himself a new life and a respectable standing in society, he thinks himself safe from his past—right up until he isn’t.
A promise made on the deathbed of one of his workers, Fantine (Oscar Nominee Anne Hathaway), finds Valjean caring for her daughter, the young Cossette (Amanda Seyfried). This life-changing turn of events leaves Valjean and Cossette in a constant contest for their lives against Javert, time, and the revolutionaries slowly turning the tides of war in the streets of France.
A timeless, classic tale of love, dreams, and freedom, “Les Misérables” is the kind of story that everyone should find something enjoyable in. Even so, its musical nature is something to be prepared for.
Clocking in at just under three hours, nearly every line of dialogue in the film is sung—not spoken. For viewers unaccustomed to epic musical undertakings, this can be a bit overwhelming, especially if one doesn’t have an exceptional attention span. With 49 songs overall, missing some of the lyrics can easily leave you lost on the story.
Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter said, “Although not terrible, the music soon begins to slur together to the point where you’d be willing to pay the ticket price all over again just to hear a nice, pithy dialogue exchange between Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe rather than another noble song that sounds a lot like one you just heard a few minutes earlier.”
All of the music in the film, however, is somewhat unique in that director Tom Hooper decided to have the actors sing their parts on the sets during filming, as opposed to performing in a studio and editing the music in later. This is a very different approach to musical films than most directors take, and it lends a genuine tone to each actor and actress’ performance.
That said, there has been disagreement about the quality of the voices in “Les Misérables.” Some performers have been praised endlessly for their work, including Jackman and Hathaway. Others, however, have not fared as well in the critical eye—mainly Crowe and Seyfried. All things considered, though, each carried their tune with finesse, and built up to a stunning performance at every turn.
Beyond the actors or music, however, is the truly spectacular cinematography present throughout this epic film. While all of the scenes are perfectly staged and set, some are absolute masterpieces—namely the Battle of the Barricades and the Fall of Valjert. Each scene is what seems to be a moving work of art, and each sweeping view of revolutionary France provides a still more entrancing view of the time.
“Les Misérables” may have its foibles, but overall, it is a moving and passionate film that is sure to take a front row seat in viewers’ hearts and minds for a long time to come.
In the words of Peter Travers from the Rolling stone, “No one expects gutsy filmmaking in a musical. But that’s just what King’s Speech Oscar winner Tom Hooper delivers in Les Miserables. [Forget] the imperfections, it’s perfectly marvelous.”
Verdict:
Marvelous.
9.8/10 Stars