(Movie Review) Les Miserables (2013)

One thing that I am always very open about with people is that I am a geek. Always have been, always will be. But something that I am not so open about is that I love a good musical. Not sure why that is something that I keep a little bit hidden, but I always have. Maybe it’s because it is hard to look masculine while singing along to the soundtrack from Wicked…I just can’t pull it off. Still, there is something inherently beautiful and grand about musicals that I am just mesmerized by. But the process of transforming a well-known musical, such as Les Misérables, into a movie would be a daunting task for any director. Lucky for us Director Tom Hooper’s superpower just happens to be making fantastic movies. That and the ability to fly, but only one is applicable to this review.

Storyline: Jean Valjean (Jackman) has been hiding his identity from his pursuer, Javert (Crowe) for decades. Yet when Fantine (Hathaway), a former worker in Valjean’s factory, is on her death bed, Valjean vows to care for her daughter Cosette (Seyfried) as if she were his own. This is a decision that will change his life, and the lives of many others, in ways that he could have never imagined.

One of the things that I would think would be the most difficult, when bringing stage to screen, would be to figure out a way to insert dialog in to help move the story along. Musicals often include unsung dialog in their performances to help move the story from one number to the next. Films that come from musicals often do the same but normally extend the dialog so the viewer doesn’t get too restless with number after number. This movie refuses to do that. There may be a full paragraph of spoken words that are not to music. The story is not only progressed by the musical aspect but is enriched by it. Using the music to add depth to some already extremely deep performances. Where most stage to film transitions buckle, this movie excels.

Worth the admission? Will Thenardier rob you blind? Of course! This movie was extremely well done. I give a HUGE pat on the back to not only Jackman and Hathaway, both of which have gut wrenchingly beautiful numbers/scenes, but to the entire cast. Everyone was amazing! I have heard some complaints about Russell Crowe in this movie, but what I think that people fail to see is that these actors sang each scene. There was no studio. No lip synced performances. What you see is what you get. Real people that are singing their hearts out to convey the pain, the love, the hate and the dreams of their characters. I can’t remember a film that has been as brave.