I must confess, I saw this film on its opening day and was very irresponsible in not reviewing it sooner because I'm struggling now to remember every detail. However, one thing I'm certain about is that Les Miserables is truly a showcase of Mr. Hugh Jackman, and is hopefully a vehicle for future talents like Eddie Redmayne and Samantha Barks.
Spanning seventeen years and set against the backdrop of political turmoil in Paris (but not the French Revolution of 1789, this is a common misconception), Les Miserables is a true epic film, and a true musical as there is hardly any dialogue that is not sung. The film follows Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), an ex-con who has served nineteen years of hard labour for stealing a loaf of bread and who goes on to better himself by becoming the mayor of a town in France. Once exposed, Valjean agrees to raise Cosette (young: Isabelle Allen, Amanda Seyfried) the illegitimate daughter of Fantine (Anne Hathaway). As well as the new responsibility of raising a daughter, Valjean must also contend with avoiding capture at the hands of police inspector Javert (Russell Crowe). Throughout the film the audience is introduced to Thenardier (Sacha Baron Cohen) and Madame Thenardier (Helena Bonham Carter) and their daughter Eponine (young: Natalya Wallace, Samantha Barks) who were Cosette's original caregivers, as well as Marius (Eddie Redmanye) the love interest of both Cosette and Eponine. The film culminates in the June Rebellion or Paris Uprising of 1832 led by student societies.
I was a fan of the 1998 non-musical version of the film starring Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush and I've seen the stage show in London (how posh), so I was a bit skeptical when I heard they were making another version. Yet this feeling was disregarded when I heard that Hugh Jackman had been cast as Valjean. I know that Daniel Day Lewis is the favourite for the Oscars tomorrow night, and he is fantastic, but I can't help but say a little prayer for Hugh. Is this may favourite of his roles? No, but I feel it would be just desserts for arguably one of the hardest working and most professional actors in Hollywood. I saw his one man show in Toronto and honestly, the man should give classes on how to survive in Hollywood. He is a chameleon, equally believable as X-Men's Wolverine as he is playing gay Peter Allen. I truly believe there is nothing this man can't do. I can remember my parents went to see The Boy From Oz, the biographical broadway show of Peter Allen's life. When my dad came home, he could not believe that Hugh Jackman was the same man who'd played Wolverine, such was his transformation.
I am not the biggest Amanda Seyfried fan in the world, I don't dislike her, it's just she's not a huge draw for me. However, she can sing and I did like her in this movie. I've heard that Russell Crowe has taken some stick over his performance in Les Miserables because his singing voice is not up to scratch with the rest of the cast. I will admit he is not the best singer in the world, but somehow, he suits this role and I loved him in it. I felt like his gravelly voice suited this hardened police inspector, he was just a good fit for the role. Would he have made it on Broadway? No, but that's the business of movie making.
Next up, Anne Hathaway. If any of you readers know me in real life, you know my sentiments on Hathaway, rather my disdain. I don't know what it is, I won't deny she is a good actress, but I always get the feeling she is overacting. She was the annoying kid in your drama class who always insisted on speaking in accents and is now desperately trying to show the world that she's gone from geek to chic. I haven't always felt this way - I liked The Princess Diaries and I liked The Devil Wears Prada, but I feel she's really trying too hard to show the world she is no longer Princess Mia. We get it! You've made the transition! Now stop annoying me.
Upon reflection, I think I can pin my distain to two films, One Day and Love and Other Drugs. I should have loved One Day - it's my kind of story, I loved the book and I love Jim Sturgess. However, I am also a stickler for accents, and Hathaway's in this movie kills me. It's not bad, it's just inconsistent. She constantly changes from a Yorkshire accent to a London one and I've heard this being explained away as her character had been living in London so naturally, her accent would change. I don't buy this, it is an excuse. (Quick note on accents re: Les Mis - why, when a film is set in France, does every person have an English accent??). For Love and Other Drugs, this movie had such promise - a unique storyline that I never would have guessed, and of course, Jake Gyllenhaal, however, Hathaway's portrayal of Maggie grated on me and ruined the film. I'm not even going to get into The Dark Knight Rises... I read The Guardian's review of Les Miserables and the reviewer, Alex von Tunzelmann hit the nail on the head. She said that during Anne Hathaway's rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" "Hathaway's performance veers between fragile sobbing and Susan Boyle-style operatics. It's so nakedly an Oscar clip that they might as well have flashed up the words "OSCAR CLIP" on the screen, as they do in Wayne's World when Wayne splashes water over his eyes and bawls: "I never learned to read!" Yes Alex! You get me! I'm not going to lie, I enjoyed Les Mis more after *SPOILER ALERT* Fantine dies.
For me, there were three standout performances in this movie, besides the obvious Hugh Jackman. Eddie Redmayne, Samantha Barks and Sacha Baron Cohen. I don't know what it is about Redmayne but I adore him. I recently watched My Week With Marilyn and he's just excellent. I loved him as Marius, I loved his voice and I hope these two exceptional roles open the door for much more. I saw this film with my mum, and during one of Redmayne's most touching scenes, my mum leaned over to me and whispered "My God, his mouth his huge", all the better to kiss me with! Samantha Barks, while supposed to be the perpetual understudy to Seyfried's Cosette is a scene stealer. She is very familiar with the role of Eponine, having played it on stage and this shows in her performance. I spent the film hoping things would change and that Marius would choose her. I also spent much of the film wondering how her waist was so teeny tiny, but that's another story! Like Redmayne, I wait in anticipation to see what she does next!
I am not a usual fan of Sacha Baron Cohen, I find his Borat et al to be too over the top and really just not my kind of humour. However, his recent roles in Hugo and now Les Miserables have showed his versatility as well as his humour. I believe he was exceptional in this movie, and like Barks, was an absolute scene stealer. In what is a dark premise, he manages to make many scenes lighter and funny. His performance is complimented by Helena Bonham Carter (no, this is not a Tim Burton film), but he is the funnier of the two. (I'm uber excited that he's going to be portraying Freddie Mercury in an upcoming project).
I love Tom Hooper's vision in this movie, it is truly breathtaking. The opening scenes of Valjean in the workers prison are outstanding and they set the tone for the rest of the movie. He has created a version of Paris that I think reflects France in the 19th century. The costumes are also exceptional, the colours reflecting the revolutionary feel. I think the revolution scenes are my favourite and I love when the cast sings "Do You Hear the People Sing?" I had goosebumps.
I had hoped that this version would have made musicals popular again, but I fear the sheer length of it, a whopping 157 minutes (like most best picture nominees this year) may deter folk. It will certainly be a favourite amongst fans of the original musical, and it is an awards darling - as any historical film tends to be, and Anne and Hugh may even take home an Oscar, but unfortunately, I feel that unless you already liked musical before watching it, you won't become a fan at the end (even though it's a great movie). Thankfully, I already love musicals!
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