Les Miserables! The production that that I personally, have anxiously awaited, since I discovered last year that the musical was going to be adapted into a film... The poster is truly intriguing isn't it?!
If you are a fan of 'Les Mis' you probably already know that the story started off as a book, written by Victor Hugo in the 1800's...It has been made into many, many films throughout the years, ever since the very start of the invention of 'film'. It seems this story has been on the minds and in the hearts of the entertainment business and 'touched' individuals from it's creation. Although, Les Miserables was first adapted and performed as a 'musical' in 1985...
It's quite amazing actually that it took as many years as it did for Les Miserables to become a musical. But, the wait was 'worth it', for the 'quality' and 'genius'. To read more history behind the musical see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables_%28musical%29
There's been so many 'Les Mis' films made. Many are masterpieces. Although, perhaps the most popular is the the film made in 1998. Liam Neeson acted as the main character 'Jean Valjean' (Jhon Val Jhon) and did a magnificent job. The film was touching, and well acted...
So it's not like the world "needed" another Les Miserables film, unless of course it is a 'musical'! The Musical is performed every other year in different parts of the world, including London and Paris...and many would agree we me in saying, it has some of the most emotionally moving, and spiritually fulfilling music of any musical ever created.
Songs such as 'I dreamed a dream' have been sung by some of the best of the best, and even 'Susan Boyle' the little scotch woman who auditioned for 'Britain's Got Talent' blew the audience away in her performance of the beautiful song. The music of 'Les Mis' has captured thousands of hearts, and moved people to tears all around the globe. It would be an understatement to say that 'Les Miserables' is a 'good' musical, it is truly a 'great' musical. But, it's not only that the music of 'Les Mis' is top notch, but the 'story' of 'Les Mis' is one of the most unique and moving stories about 'redemption' and the 'human struggle' ever written.
With this being said. One can't help but rush to the local theater to see 'Les Miserables' the 2012 musical, even if it is on 'Christmas day'. The film has an all star cast of Russell Crow, Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, and the list goes on...I can imagine that some people went to view the film just to see 'Russell Crow' and 'Hugh Jackman' sing...I don't blame their curiosity. But, the fact is, the reason you haven't seen either of these two actors with a microphone in a film before, is because they really don't know how to sing.
This might seem a bit harsh, considering Hugh Jackman has sung on stage before a large crowd before..But, as soon as I entered the theater I was shocked at how out of tune he was. I honestly was embarrassed and annoyed by his screeching throughout the entire film. He acts the main character, the hero...and yet he has the weakest, worst voice of all the other singing actors or actresses in the movie.
Some people don't have great voices I understand, but in Hugh Jackman's case, it's not just that he doesn't have a 'graceful voice', it's the reality that he can't even keep a tune or hold a note. If you asked him to hum a scale "Do, Ray, Me, Fa, So, La, Te, Do", I'm pretty sure he couldn't. And that stunned me. I literally stared at the screen as soon as he started singing and couldn't believe my ears. A "musical" should put emphasis on the 'music', there should be strong back ground music, and strong vocal leads...But, it didn't take long for me to notice not only the lack of the two, but the poor sound quality. The film sounded like all the audio was recorded with a digital built in mic on the camera, and not recorded separately. The loudest most dramatic sound in the entire film was at the very start of the movie, and after that I felt like I was going deaf. And I'm by no means exaggerating. I don't know if it was just the theater I was in, or not...but the volume was so low, that I had to strain to hear even the music. It was really horrible. This was even worse a problem than you may image, as most of the songs at the start of the film seem to be 'whispered' and not truly 'sung'.
I hope I can give an honest review, while still uplifting the film's good qualities...But there was definitely several things that bothered me about this film. 1. The Music was not 'dramatic' or 'full' enough. It was almost as if the orchestra had been traded in for a music box, and it was depending on 'strong vocal performances' to carry out the tune and body of the songs. But, his was sadly impossible, as most of the main characters couldn't keep a tune, and had very shallow vocal ranges...especially in the case of Jean Valjean. Javert (Jaa vair) played by Russell Crow, at least could keep 'in tune' and didn't have an unpleasant sounding voice, even if it wasn't trained and kept at one octave throughout.
Those who actually did well singing were 'Amanda Seyfried' who plays (Cosette), 'Eddie Redmayne' (Marius), 'Aaron Tveit' (Enjolras), and 'Samantha Barks' who played (Eponine) not only in this film, but in the 25th Anniversary of the West End/London Les Mis Musical. And truly, she was the best vocalist in the film, and did a very moving and realistic job in her acting performance as well. I wont be surprised if she gets a lot more acting parts now that the world will be seeing for themselves what a great entertainer she is.
But overall, the 'acting' in this film was very good. Hugh Jackman and Russell Crow had you wishing they would stop singing and just 'act'. I'd say Hugh Jackman, Aaron Tveit, and Anne Hathaway worked the hardest in their emotional performances, and it really paid of on screen. There were tears shed all around me in the theater, and they were mainly due to the believable performances of these actors/actress in particular.
And Hugh Jackman has a nice voice when he 'isn't' singing, the problem is he only says one or two words the entire movie that aren't "sung".
Overall, this film had me wondering why they didn't just make it a 'talkie' considering the vocal cast, and not have the characters sing 'every thing' they wanted to say. But, even so...if they wanted it to be an even better 'musical' they shouldn't have had every thing 'sung', it really would have made even the poor vocal performances better, because you aren't hearing 'them' throughout the entire film!
If you already know the story of 'Les Mis' feel free to skip the 'synopsis' bellow, and continue on with the review.
The Main Story Synopsis of 'Les Miserables':
A hard and angry 'Jean Valjean' is given parole after 20 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving child. His hatred is focused mainly on ' Inspector Javert' who watched him in prison and seems to treat all men without compassion. On his parole, Jean tries to find work, but is treated badly and is taken advantage of for being a 'prisoner'. Looking for a place to stay, Valjean knocks on the door of the home of a catholic priest, and the priest invites him for dinner and lets him stay the night. Valjean in turn takes advantage of the priest's kindness, by stealing his silverware and running off. The next morning Valjean is caught by local police and brought back to the priest's house with the silverware. When the police tell the priest they have caught a thief stealing his silverware, they also tell him that Valjean said that he had "given it to him". The priest not only pretends as if he 'had' given Valjean the silverware, but he gives him his silver candlesticks. This act of kindness stirs something in Valjean, and is the start of his surrender of the old hateful prisoner, he once was...and the making of a new, compassionate Valjean. 8 years later Valjean has become the Mayor of a small French town and is the head of a factory where a young single woman 'Fantine' works hard to make enough money to pay some innkeepers that take care of her small child 'Cosette'.
Fantine is thrown out from her job at the factory, since she is unfairly judged by her coworkers for being a 'bad example' and 'unworthy' or her job. With no other way to pay for her supposedly 'ill' child, she resorts to 'harlotry'. After an attack from a "ungentlemanly gent", Fantine is almost put in jail by 'Javert' the Inspector that has come to work for the Mayor (Valjean), sent by the state, and seems no longer to recognize Jean. Valjean comes to Fantine's rescue in questioning Javert, and makes it his charge to care for her after being informed that she once worked for him at his factory, and because of his lack of attention was kicked out unfairly by those under him. Meanwhile, through his observations Javert notices the similarities in the Mayor and the prisoner he once knew. But, once another person is taken to court accused of being 'Valjean' the Inspector confesses his thoughts to the Mayor. A 'conscience convicted' Jean, rushes to court in attempt to save the 'accused' by confessing he is the true 'Valjean'.
Fantine, sick since rescued, grows ever more ill. She dies in Val jean's presence when he returns from court, but not before he can tell her that he will care for her child 'Cosette'.
Javert comes to arrest Valjean near Fantine's deathbed, but Jean says he must take care of her daughter, and gets away. Valjean goes to the inn where Cosette is, and takes her away from the awful place and innkeepers 'The Thenardiers' (Ten-ardee-ays). Cosette and Jean run away from the Inspector and his men and hide away at a Convent where they stay for many years. Exactly ten years later Jean and Cosette move into Paris where they are met with the speeches and cries of 'rebels' in the streets, stirring the people to start a revolution. Cosette sees a 'Marius' in the group of rebels and it is 'love at first sight' for the two of them, much to the dismay of 'Eponine' the 'Thenardiers' grown daughter, and the silent lover of Marius.
The story progresses as Valjean and Cosette are recognized by Inspector Javert who happens to be in Paris at the time, and takes 'sent' of them. Cosette does not know why they are always running, but Valjean refuses to tell her his past. The two move from their house to another place.
Meanwhile the revolution rises, and Marius decides to fight at the barricades with the rest of his revolutionary friends. Intercepting a message meant for Cosette, Valjean goes to the barricades to look after his adopted daughter's love. While at the barricades he happens upon 'Javert' who has been captured by the rebels, pretending to be on their side, but really a spy for the state. Jean saves Javert's life by asking to "take care of him" for the rebels, and instead lets him go free. Javert is is confused by this act of compassion.
Marius is seriously wounded by the fight, and the cannons demolish the last of the barricades. Valjean heaves Marius out of the street, and carries his body in the underground sewers to avoid them being discovered and get to safety. In the sewers, Javert finds Valjean and Marius and holds him at gunpoint. Again Valjean insists on saving a life and showing compassion, and Javert can think of nothing else but the obedience of the 'law' without 'compassion'. To him obedience of the law, and 'an eye for an eye' is more to be perused than 'love', 'mercy', and 'compassion'. But, somehow Valjean walks away unharmed with Marius over his shoulder. A distressed and spiritually confused Javert cannot live with himself. He cannot destroy a man who only shows compassion and saved his life, and yet he cannot live with the fact that he has not done his duty and brought Valjean in. Javert commits suicide, and Marius is saved. Valjean thinks he must walk out of Cosette's life for her own safety, and leaves her with Marius. Valjean becomes ill and is dying alone at the convent. Marius and Cosette marry, and on their wedding day Marius finds out by the Thenardiers unintentionally that it was Valjean who saved his life that day at the barricade. He and Cosette rush to the convent where they find Valjean. Valjean gives a letter to Cosette about her beginnings, and his past that he never told her about. Valjean is met by a vision of Fantine who ushers him into his eternal rest.
Overall I really appreciated that this film adaption of 'Les Mis' was much "cleaner" than I expected considering the topics of 'prostitution', 'violence', and the 'grimy streets' of France during the time of the revolution...I've seen the Broadway musical, and the dark scenes/ characters were presented more vulgar than the film adaption and that's saying something, especially for Hollywood 'now a days'.
The thing I think this film/musical adaption failed in was fleshing out the relationship between 'Javert and Valjean' and their 'personal conflict'. Russell crow just can't act as a villain, and you didn't dislike him near enough in the film. Honestly, if you don't know the story ahead of time, you probably would have no idea why he even commits 'harry carry'. It's kind of odd actually, cause Russell just doesn't come off confused, or angry enough at this time in the film to even scrape his toe ha!
Well, if you're a long time fan of 'Les Mis' especially the 'musical', I would recommend you stick to the Broadway soundtrack to hear some good vocal performances and hear the moving music. But, if you aren't acquainted with 'Les Miserables'; I say watch it, and enjoy a 'good movie'. It has a very moving ending, and after all the annoying singing of Hugh Jackman, he redeems himself in the end a good bit, by dying and singing his best performance of the show...his adaption of 'Valjean' sounds best when he's dying...Sad, but true lol.
The religious focus of the film/story remains true, which is a big plus. And you don't have to question yourself what the moral message is over and over, like you might in most of the other films that have been coming out in theater lately, such as life of Pi...You know 'Valjean' is a Christian, and you know where he's heading when he dies, and it really is beautiful. Even with it's fails in vocal performance at times, the message stills rings true, and it will be hard to maintain a dry eye at the end.
"So so" Videography. Music/Singing less than epic. Good Acting. Good Message.
But, overall it's a 'good movie'. If you can get over the poor singing by the main character, focus on the singing of the characters that can actually sing, and if you purchase it for a 'home viewing' and 'raise the volume' you might just enjoy a good story.
