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Warning: Spoilers
Despite the somewhat mixed reviews, I really wanted to see Les Miserables. I love the musical, it is not the most accessible of musicals- it is lengthy and feels very like an opera(a genre that I adore but can see why others don't)- but it never fails to give me goosebumps or move me and the music is just incredible. I wouldn't go as far to say that this movie version is completely flawless, there are occasions where the camera angles are a little dizzying and Russell Crowe has an underpowered and nasal timbre that doesn't really appeal to me(it also has a soft-grained rock-opera style that is at odds with the rest of the singing). But I found it a simply splendid film on its own merits as well as a solid adaptation of both the musical and the book.
Apart from some of the camera angles, I thought Les Miserables was stunning to look at. The costumes, locations and sets are both stunning(some of the best of the entire year for me) and evocative(complete with grubby faces and rotting teeth, Fantine's plight is very seedy and nightmarish which makes you relate to her without being forced to). I personally liked the close-ups, whether there were too many is up for debate and I can definitely see why, but they did succeed in giving numbers like Empty Chairs and Empty Tables, On My Own, Stars(visually resplendent in its simplicity), Bring Him Home and especially I Dreamed a Dream a very personal touch.
I can definitely see why people won't like the film. Like the musical and the book it is lengthy and the story is quite heavy-going and quite exhausting from an emotional standpoint. But even with the length- I am probably one of the few who didn't think it was overlong- I was riveted throughout, not only was it so good musically as you'd expect but the storytelling felt coherent and easy to engage with. While there are some amusing moments with the Thenardiers and One Day More was very cleverly staged, there were many moments that really moved me. I Dreamed a Dream is by far the standout rendition of the film and along with On My Own, Eponine's death and Empty Chairs and Empty Tables moved me to tears, but it was the ending that left me an emotional wreck. Valjean and Javert's confrontation has been more convincing on stage, but there were definitely signs of intensity.
The music is incredible, one of those musicals where I don't dislike a single song. The orchestration and how it's played will stir many emotions, and the chorus, their best moment being Do You Hear the People Sing(closely followed by One Day More), also do powerful work. I thought the cast were great. Crowe is the weak link vocally, but I do think his acting is better than it is given credit for. The emotional detachment and grittiness did suit Javert's character and there is signs of authority. Amanda Seyfried is lovely and innocent and her chemistry with Eddie Redmayne is great. And on the most part, apart from some shrillness and quivery vibrato in the upper register, her singing is sweet-toned and delicate. Redmayne is a dashing and very moving Marius, and his singing is full of emotion. You only had to see him in Empty Chairs and Empty Tables to see that he understood and felt every word.
Samantha Barks is perfectly cast also as the well-meaning and vulnerable Eponine, and her beautiful voice and how she presents herself has really come on since the Nancy-finding contest I'd Do Anything(where it was very good even then). Daniel Huttlestone's scene-stealing Gavroche and Isabelle Allen's adorably haunting Young Cosette also impress, and the Revolutionaries are a rousing and determined lot, particularly Enjolras. Helena Bonham-Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen- she with her facial expressions and he with how he calls Cosette the wrong names- are hilarious as the Thenardiers and don't feel out of place at all.
Hugh Jackman is outstanding, capturing every side of Valjean's tormented character, whether benevolent with young Cosette, all broken and close to death in the final convent scene, dignified as he saves people from harm(young Cosette especially) or intense in the confrontational parts between him and Javert. Apart from some high-note strain, his singing is fine and he sings every note and word with emotion. To me having a good voice is just one part of singing, you do need to know what you're singing about, otherwise people won't connect with you. And I have never seen Anne Hathaway as good as she is here, you can tell that she threw herself into the role of Fantine and it shows in a truly devastating and unforgettable portrayal. I Dreamed a Dream will not just move you to tears, it will render you speechless also, like Jackman and Redmayne it was clear how deeply felt her singing was.
All in all, a splendid film. It's not for everybody but it's undeniable that a lot of effort was put into this film and you can clearly see this in the acting, the period detail and the emotion behind the singing. 9/10 Bethany Cox
9/10
