Les Misérables

Les Misérables

 (2014)

A Review by Grant Kanigan

Directed by: Tom Hooper

Written by: William Nicholson, Alain Boublil,

                  Claude-Michel Schönberg,

                  Herbert Kretzmer, based on

                  Victor Hugo's novel

Starring:  Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway,

               Russell Crowe, Eddie Redmayne

Rating: PG

Release Date: December 25th 2012

Hugh Jackman gets huge, and jacked, man in Les Misérables
© 2012 - Universal Pictures

     A lot of people hate musicals. Who can blame them when all they offer is cheery renditions of well known storylines coupled with recycled show-tunes that they're hearing for the hundredth time?Grease, Purple Rain, Anastasia, Jesus Christ Superstar, Moulin Rouge, Chicago, or Mamma Mia all offer either bland, boring or outright goofy storylines and songs. Sure, some of the aforementioned have tragic endings, but it's hard to take any of them seriously when the actors treat the storylines as a farce.  It's no wonder people think they hate musicals, when a large portion of cinema lovers haven't seen one. The stage production of Phantom of the Opera is dark, brooding, hateful and tragic. While film adaptations haven't been as successful, it's a prime example of how musical and theatricality can come together to showcase artistic passion. The Sound of Music tackled crises of faith, adult relationships, and confronting the second world war on your doorstep. It's rare, but musicals can incite passion, showcase brutal truisms and get to the core of the human condition. For the most part, Tom Hooper's adaptation of Victor Hugo's canonical novel is one of those rarities.
      Les Misérables follows Jean Valjean, a convict who served over two decades of backbreaking work, merely for stealing a loaf of bread. Once gaining his freedom, former guard and mortal enemy Javert, (Russell Crowe), begins to hunt Valjean once it's apparent Valjean has broken parole. Yet, Valjean's criminal absence wasn't malicious - after a chance encounter with a priest, Valjean's outlook on humanity is changed by the selfless mercy of the priest. Changing his name and his attitude, Valjean begins a new life and creates a business for himself. It's the lives of these two men and those they effect that set of the events that take place in the film, all over the backdrop of the bloody and ruthlessly violent French Revolution; their continual cat and mouse game sends ripples throughout their worlds, and leads to a tragic finish for all.
        Hugh Jackman, in the best role of his life, proves his worth as an actor and as a vocal talent. In the opening scenes alone, Jackman's facial movements and vocal inflections rip at the audience's core. Not only is his delivery of his lines and lyrics brilliant, he embodies the pain and hopelessness of Valjean completely. As his foil, Crowe's Javert is equally compelling. While Crowe doesn't have the range or as powerful delivery as Jackman, the man is a capable singer, always on key, and delivers with passionate vigour. The supporting ensemble too, including Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried and the wonderful Anne Hathaway are equally capable performers. The only miscalculation in Hooper's otherwise flawless film is of the casting of the Thénardiers.
         As Monsieur and Madame Thénardier, Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter are woefully miscast. Cohen, while a capable actor, is lost and tonally awkward in such a straightforward, tragic musical. Carter, who is one of the worst actresses of her generation, (although, I will concede, her nihilistic, careless approach to acting was a perfect fit for her role in Fight Club), is shockingly transparent, revoltingly over-the-top and  distractingly awful. As the Thénardier's, the two roles are small, but extremely important, leading to the fate of the small girl who drives the humanistic and heartfelt portions of the film, Cosette. Forcing an orphaned girl into child labour, the key scene where the Thénardier's steal from and maim customers is supposed to come off as dark, blackly humorous and disturbing. With Cohen and Carter, the scene becomes campy, ridiculous and unbelievable. It nearly throws off the entire film. Yet, when Valjean arrives and saves Cosette from a terrible fate, he also saves the film.
     Aside from the poorly conceived casting of Cohen and Carter, Les Misérables is a beautifully shot film, with artistic and exciting cinematography as well as an unbelievably talented cast. The sound design, too, is brilliant. With the superb choice of shooting the vocals live on set, Cooper captures the excitement and real-to-life vitality of theatre, ultimately combining the visceral nature of theatre with the beautiful nature of film. Not only is Les Misérables the prime cinematic adaptation of Hugo's classical tale, (musical or not), but it's one of the best musicals released in decades. If you're not a fan of musicals, don't discount Tom Hooper's brilliant film. It's not a musical, it's Les Misérables.

Grant's Rating: 4/5

Hugh Jackman & Russell Crowe in Les Misérables: "Prisoner 24601"