Rated
PG-13 (Suggestive and Sexual Material, Violence and Thematic Elements)
Running
Time: 2 Hours & 37 Minutes
Cast-
Hugh
Jackman-Jean Valjean
Russell
Crowe-Inspector Javert
Anne
Hathaway-Fantine
Amanda
Seyfried-Cosette (Isabelle Allen-Young Cosette)
Eddie
Redmayne-Marius Pontmercy
Samantha
Barks-Éponine Thénardier
Sacha
Baron Cohen-Thénardier
Helena
Bonham Carter-Madame Thénardier
Aaron
Tveit-Enjolras
Colm
Wilkinson-Charles-François-Bienvenu Myriel, Bishop of Digne
Daniel
Huttlestone-Gavroche
Directed
by Tom Hooper
 |
| Will someone just give Anne Hathaway an Academy Award already?! |
Men
are often discouraged from crying at an early age because it's considered to be
a sign of weakness and 'un-masculine' but I feel a real man is one who isn't afraid to show his emotions, regardless
of what society or culture dictates. As an amateur film critic, I've come
across numerous instances where I just couldn't help but feel a lump in my
throat yet none of it compares to the experience of watching director Tom
Hooper's latest film, "Les Misérables," based upon the musical of the
same name by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, which is in turn based
on Victor Hugo's 1862 magnum opus. Widely considered as one of the greatest
novels ever written, Les Misérables
has been adapted into every form imaginable while the musical (which debuted in
London in 1985) ranks as the fourth longest running Broadway show in history.
Plans for a film adaptation of the musical stretched as far back as 1988 but it
was mired in development hell until 2005. During that time, three major
adaptations of Les Misérables were
released: Claude Lelouch's 1995 re-imagination (set in France during the first
half of the twentieth century), Bille August's 1998 version based on the novel
starring Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush, and the 2000 French mini-series from
Josée Dayan. After winning Best Director and Best Picture at the 83rd Academy
Awards for "The King's Speech," Hooper took on "Les
Misérables" as his next project, signing on in 2011 with production
beginning the following year (he was also offered to direct "Iron Man
3" but declined). While the film may feel bloated at times, "Les
Misérables" still stands as one of the most moving cinematic experiences
I've ever seen, a grandiose epic that will sweep you away with its raw,
emotional performances.
In 1815 Toulon, France, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman),
otherwise known as 'Prisoner 24601,' is released on parole by the policeman
Javert (Russell Crowe) after spending nineteen years in prison (five for
stealing a loaf of bread for his starving sister and her family, and the rest
for his repeated escape attempts). Marked as an ex-convict due to his yellow
ticket-of-leave, Valjean is unable to find work and sleeps on the street,
bitter and angry. Myriel, the Bishop of Digne (Colm Wilkinson), offers him food
and a warm bed to sleep in but Valjean instead runs off with the Bishop's
silverware. When the police arrest him, the Bishop pretends that he has given
the silverware to Valjean and insists he take the two candlesticks as well.
Taken aback by his kindness, Valjean breaks his parole and vows to live his
life as an honest man. Eight years later, Valjean has re-invented himself as
'Monsieur Madeleine' and is now a wealthy factory owner and mayor of
Montreuil-sur-Mer. One of his employees is Fantine (Anne Hathaway), a
seamstress struggling to earn a living but when a fight breaks out between her
and the other workers due to the discovery of her illegitimate daughter
(Isabelle Allen), the foreman throws her out onto the street. Desperate for
money, Fantine sells her hair and two front teeth to support her daughter. She
resorts to prostitution but when she attacks an abusive customer, Javert (now
an Inspector stationed at Montreuil-sur-Mer) arrests her. Valjean arrives and
realizing that he was indirectly responsible for her ruination, orders Javert
to release her and takes her to the hospital. As Fantine lies on her deathbed,
Valjean promises to look after her daughter Cosette. Learning of his true identity,
Javert attempts to arrest Valjean for breaking his parole but he manages to
slip away. Valjean travels to Montfermeil and rescues Cosette from the greedy
Thénardiers (Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter). Ten years later in
Paris, Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), now a beautiful young woman, catches the eye
of Marius Pontmercy (Eddie Redmayne). However, Éponine (Samantha Barks), the
destitute daughter of the Thénardiers, is also in love with Marius but he sees
her as only a friend. Marius is part of a student revolutionary group called
the 'Friends of the ABC' led by the charismatic Enjolras (Aaron Tveit). Valjean
and Javert's fates become intertwined on the eve of the June Rebellion.
Go big
or go home; that's the approach Tom Hooper takes with "Les
Misérables," opening the film with a spectacular scene set in 1815 Toulon,
where a group of haggard prisoners are pulling a large ship into a shipyard
while singing Look Down under the
watchful eye of Javert. The production design, from the sets to the costume, is
incredibly ambitious and is just beautiful to behold. Although the running time
is already 2 hours and 37 minutes, the film can still feel somewhat rushed and
overstuffed with its numerous themes and ensemble cast, leaving some of the
characters underdeveloped. At its core, "Les Misérables" is a story
of redemption and second chances, with its main character Jean Valjean trying
to redeem himself in the eyes of God. However, he is constantly chased by
Inspector Javert, who is convinced that a criminal like Valjean will never
change. There's a certain irony at play here because in order to become an
honest man, Valjean intentionally breaks his parole. He lives a moral life by
breaking the law yet Javert sees justice as an absolute; to him being moral
means following the law without question. Although positioned as an antagonist,
Javert is not evil as he is only doing what he feels is right and it's more
appropriate to call him misguided. The film (and by extension, the novel) also
deals with inequality and social injustice. Seeing the citizens of Paris
protest and throw rotten food at the wealthy reminded me of Occupy Wall Street
(all the events lead up to the ill-fated June Rebellion or Paris Uprising of
1832). Again, it's ironic as Valjean only turned to crime because his sister
was starving and all prison did was fuel his hatred. Fantine's extreme
suffering is due to a cruel society where the men take advantage of her without
consequences while the women condemn her for it. "Les Misérables" is
also a romance, which the script unfortunately short changes as Cosette and
Marius spend very little screen-time together. The weighty story and large
number of characters can make the film feel bloated yet audiences won't care as
they're seeing it for the music. While it's labeled as a musical, calling it
that is a bit of a misnomer as it's really an opera, with all the dialogue
being sung…live! Normally, a musical's soundtrack is pre-recorded in advance
and then played back on set for the cast to lip-sync to. Hooper instead had
everyone sing live on set while piano accompaniments were played through
earpieces as a guide, with the orchestral accompaniment recorded during
post-production. This is a brilliant move on his part because it lends a sense
of realness and passion to the performances.
I have to say, no other film has
made me want to break out in tears like "Les Misérables." The high
point is when Anne Hathaway belts out I
Dreamed a Dream and you can feel her anger and desperation as she sings of
Fantine's loss of innocence and shattered hopes. It's so beautifully sung and
so heartbreaking to hear that just typing about it makes me emotional! Samantha
Barks, who reprises her role as Éponine from the West End production (2010 to
2011) and the 25th Anniversary concert, is just as impressive, capturing the
agony of unrequited love during her solo, On
My Own. Eddie Redmayne (from 2011's "My Week with Marilyn") came
as a total surprise, his vocals invoking the youthful idealism and young love
that embodies Marius. His rendition of Empty
Chairs at Empty Tables really tugs at your heartstrings. As for the rest of
the cast, Jean Valjean is a role that Hugh Jackman was born to play. He has a
powerful voice that fully conveys Valjean's sense of guilt and his longing for
redemption. Although a capable actor in his own right, Russell Crowe
unfortunately never feels comfortable with all the sung dialogue and his solos
lack the conviction that is needed for Javert. That's not to say he's terrible
but Crowe is the sole weak link in an otherwise perfect cast. Cosette is a
rather dull character yet Amanda Seyfried manages to channel her character's
sweet innocence through her vocals. Finally, there's Sacha Baron Cohen and
Helena Bonham Carter as the thieving Thénardiers, who essentially serve as
comic relief. Popping up throughout the film from time to time, their presence
brings a sense of levity and keeps the tone from being too bleak. Cohen and
Carter's duet of Master of the House,
which includes a drunken Santa Claus, drew a lot of laughs from the audience.
There are also a number of cameos that pay homage to the novel's numerous stage
productions, including the original Jean Valjean, Colm Wilkinson, as the Bishop
of Digne and Daniel Huttlestone reprising his role as streetwise urchin
Gavroche from the West End production.
To be released on December 25, 2012,
"Les Misérables" has received surprisingly lukewarm reviews with 71%
on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics found it 'impeccably mounted but occasionally
bombastic, [the film] largely succeeds thanks to bravura performances from its
distinguished cast.' Some have found Hooper's use of close-ups too repetitive
but I thought it made the music much more intimate, something that cannot be
replicated on a stage. This was one of those rare screenings where I had to pay
the ticket price ($14.00) to see it early, which I gladly did. While I did
overhear some negative comments, the audience loved the film, with the couple behind
me bawling like babies! Given the level of anticipation, I foresee a lucrative
run at the box office and Hathaway is already a lock for Best Supporting
Actress; it truly is a career-defining performance. "Les Misérables"
is a bombastic film and yet its grandiosity suits it just fine. This is by far
one of the best musicals I've seen and one of the best films of 2012.
Film
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
"I
had a dream my life would be / So much different from this hell I'm living / So
different now from what it seemed / Now life has killed / The dream…I
dreamed."
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