Les Misérables, An Exhausting, Manipulative, But Satisfying Film Experience

I left the movie theater after watching Les Misérables desperate for a nap.

The musical, adapted from the iconic Broadway production, was an emotional rollercoaster that demanded the utter surrender of its audience with every twist, turn, and loop. It moved so quickly at times that it was hard to reconcile the myriad of depressed emotions that were stirred up. At the same time, the film felt very long, packed with so many scenes and storylines that, although intertwined, made you wonder when exactly the film was supposed to end. It was a faithful adaptation; I could see how this could work on stage, but it didn't quite work on screen.

The jarring pace was coupled with an insistence on close-ups that assured the audience could "see" the desperation of 19th century France's downtrodden. Sometimes it was effective (like with Anne Hathaway, but more on that later), and other times it was a blatantly manipulative tactic to wrench any sympathy we would've already felt for the characters. And yet, that one-two combo worked in the theater; a lot of these realizations came after a considerable amount of thought. Sitting there, I found myself deeply engrossed in the plights of Jean Valjean, Fantine, and Cosette, on the verge of tears multiple times.

The story follows Valjean (Hugh Jackman) as he spends decades trying to escape his tortured past and rebuild his life after working hard labor for twenty years. Along the way, he comes in contact with Fantine (Anne Hathaway), a single mother and prostitute, and promises to raise her daughter Cosette after she passes away. Following closely behind him is Javert (Russell Crowe), an officer determined to bring Valjean to justice for evading his parole. This all takes place in the backdrop of a revolution, led by Marius (Eddie Redmayne) against the bourgeoisie. This battle takes precedence in the second half, as does the unconvincing love story of Marius and a grownup Cosette (Amanda Seyfried). Equally unconvincing is Eponine's (Samantha Barks) unrequited love for Marius, but that is due to a lack of development. Honestly, and I'm aware of my biases to Jackman and Hathaway, I feel like the film would've been much better if it focused and re-imagined the first half of the film with Valjean, Fantine, and Cosette. While I understood the revolution plot, it didn't really pack the wallop that the daily life of the citizens did.

It's a busy film that could've easily collapsed under its own melodramatic weight, but it is kept up by a spectacular ensemble cast, headed by a revelatory Jackman. Knowing him primarily as butt-kicker Wolverine, seeing him drenched in tears and grime while maintaining both dignity and grace was spell-binding. It's unfortunate that Oscar glory probably won't be his as this is Daniel Day-Lewis's year with Lincoln, but a nomination must surely be in the cards. Someone who can start writing her speeches now is Anne Hathaway. She is simply brilliant from the moment she appears on screen. "I Dreamed a Dream" basically engraved her name on the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her; I can't imagine her losing at this point. In fact, I would dare insist that she be considered as a lead actress.

Eddie Redmayne was amazing as Marius, delivering his own heart-wrenching performance of "Empty Chairs and Empty Tables". Samantha Barks's Eponine is woefully shorted in the plot, but her take of "On My Own" is another highlight. Sacha Baron Cohen, at his career best, and Helena Bonham Carter are wonderful as the innkeepers, providing the much-needed comic relief. Russell Crowe is regrettably the one sore spot; he is fine, when he isn't singing. While everyone else's vocal deliveries (mind you, they sung live on stage) were full of emotion and gravitas, Crowe was painfully stoic, almost dead in comparison.

Speaking about the sound for a moment, whoever did the film's sound can expect to win an Oscar as well, because it was spectacular. There were times when I could not tell the difference between the soundtrack and the film itself. All of the musical numbers were excellent, the glaring exception being Jackman's "Bring Him Home". It was an octave too high for him, and kept imagining him singing it in a much lower key. I would highly recommend buying the Highlights soundtrack because, since it strips out the less important bits, it is one of the best film soundtracks I have ever heard.

For better or worse, Les Misérables is vacuum-packed full of emotion that will leave even the most stone-hearted wiping a tear or two. It's also the most obvious Oscar contender of the year that's not Lincoln. Although not perfect, it's one of those films that will strike a very nerve with audiences, which may be all that matters.

That said, seriously, take a nap before seeing this film.


THREE AND A HALF out of FIVE STARS