Les Miserables

Les Misérables

2012
Musical/Drama
4.5 stars out of 5

I love musicals. I have since I was a child and first saw Oklahoma! From it through at least one Elvis quasi-musical (State Fair with Ann Margaret) to Moulin Rouge,  I wonder if I have seen one that I hated (Grease comes to mind; sorry). Les Misérables occupies for me a rare position - easily one of the best pictures I have seen in the past five years.

The story of Jean Valjean as expressed in Les Misérables is based originally on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo and also on the musical theatre productions that go back to 1980 Paris. The salvation of Jean Valjean, his pursuit by the tortured Inspector Javert and the stories of Fantine and Cossette provide more than sufficient story material just on the surface level. You could also follow the movie for its depiction of how desperate the plight of the poor were in early 19^th century France, and the indifference of almost everyone as an allegory to modern America, and you would not be displeased.

However, there is an even deeper layer to the story, and it is best revealed in the first act. There one is nearly overcome with emotion as you watch the love and devotion of the local Monsignor when he forgives Valjean’s thievery, and thus starts the wheels of redemption that eventually saves Valjean from himself, not to mention from Javert and society at large. This scene is followed very shortly by what I consider the highlight of the entire movie: the step by step degradation of Fantine culminating with her incredible song of dreams lost. The other notable part of the story involve the moral ascent of Valjean after he re-covers his soul; especially when this is contrasted to the moral descent of Javert as he clings to the law and his tight walk along a moral precipice.

The story arc, theme and technical artistry aside (watch the camera angles of the boat being dragged into the not so dry dry-docks or consider that all the singing was recorded live), the acting and singing are for the most part just superb. Both Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean and Anne Hathaway as Fantine sing and act at the highest levels. Meanwhile Isabelle Allen as young Cossette and Samantha Barks as the adult Éponine sing superbly. And even though I usually cringe when I see another love triangle, in this movie I get to see Éponine, the adult Cossette and Marius (played by Amanda Seyfried and  Eddie Redmayne, respectively) sing their way through it, and it makes it more than watchable, it makes it a work of art.

To be sure there were things I would have wished done differently: chief amongst them, I would have re-written the movie to remove the discordant comic elements and inadequate singing of Sacha Baron Cohen as Thénardier. I did like having Helena Bonham Carter in the role of Madam Thénardier in order to provide the dark counterpoint to young Cossette’s beautifully sung “Castle on a Cloud”. And though criticized by many, I also like using Russell Crowe as Inspector Javert. Yes, you can discuss his vocal limitations. However, his solo atop the rooftops of Paris as he sings and walks the knife edge between life and his own doomed redemption,  and then once again this time above the Seine, Crowe proves his worth for the role. His dramatic abilities and fair to good singing makes for a more than competent Javert.

From the amazing opening to the lyrically described triangle to the tragic but redemptive ending, I loved this movie, and strongly recommend it to anyone even mildly interested in musicals.