Tom Hooper won the Best Director Academy Award two years ago for Best Picture winner “The King’s Speech”. His style of directing is distinct: using shots that don’t always place his subjects in the middle of the frame and shooting characters tight so you can really see their facial expressions. And this style is front and center in this groundbreaking adaptation of the Broadway musical phenomenon “Les Misérables”.
If you’re not familiar with the story (which is hard to believe), it’s set in France in the early 1800’s. Hugh Jackman gives one of the best lead actor performances of the year as Jean Valjean. When we first meet Jean he is being released from jail, where he had been doing hard labor after being arrested for stealing a loaf of bread. Valjean is a good man, who vows to make a new life for himself. But the evil Inspector (a singing Russell Crowe) believes Valjean is a life-time criminal and makes it his goal to put him back in prison, especially after Valjean breaks his parole and goes on the run.
The saga follows Vajean for the next several years as he makes a dramatic changes in his life…and he encounters other key characters, including a dying prostitute – Fantine (Anne Hathaway is remarkable) and later her daughter Cosette, who he promises to take care of – a pivotal decision that will impact many lives.
“Les Misérables” runs 2 hours and 40 minutes, which is probably the length of the stage version (but that included an intermission). The first half-hour or so is very fast-paced, but it settles down. Three things you need to know about this version of “Les Mis”: First of all, there’s hardly any regular dialogue. Almost every single line is either sung or spoken musically, with an accompanying orchestra playing in the background. I wasn’t expecting this style going in and it’s a little distracting in the beginning but you get used to it. Secondly, Hooper’s film is based on the Broadway musical and not Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel that the original show was based on. And, finally, all of the actors in the film are singing “live” while they’re acting instead of lip-syncing to pre-recorded music as is done in most movie musicals. The fact that Hooper took this chance, and it works so well, should have snagged him another Oscar nomination. The songs are very well done, including “Suddenly”, which was written for the movie.
Hathaway, even in a brief supporting role, deserved all the awards she picked-up. Her version of “I Dreamed a Dream” is spectacular – and done in one, continuous take. And her character is pivital to the storyline. Jackman is also very good. He’s become best known for two things: playing Wolverine and his outstanding singing voice. He puts one of those talents to good use here, carrying emotion through lyrics over the course of the entire film. Crowe does not have the greatest singing voice but he’s the perfect choice to play the Inspector. We’ll overlook the few sour notes.
The rest of the talented ensemble cast includes Amanda Seyfried as the older Cosette. She’s no stranger to movie musicals, having co-starred with Meryl Streep in 2008’s “Mamma Mia”. Eddie Redmayne (“My Week with Marilyn”) and Samantha Barks both have effective showcase songs. And Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen play two wacky small-time thieves who own a bar and steal all their customers blind. Their “Master of the House” number provides the film’s comic relief.
“Les Misérables” is rated PG-13 for adult material, violence, language, dramatic content and disturbing images. It’s appropriate for teens and up. The film does pack an emotional punch. Combine the performances, the music, the directing, and the set design and costumes, and there’s no surprise that this was one of the best movie experiences of 2012. And it should still stand-up on DVD/Blu-ray on the small screen.
On The Official LCJ Report Card, “Les Misérables” gets a B+.