Les Miserables

Starring;

Hugh Jackman
Russell Crowe
Anne Hathaway
Amanda Seyfried
Helena Bonham Carter
Sacha Baron Cohen
Eddie Redmayne
Samantha Barks

Director;

Tom Hooper

In three words; Impressive – Ambitious – Meek  

Review;

Tom Hooper begins Les Miserables with an ambitious and epic opening sequence. The camera swoops between an armada of ships until reaching a stricken vessel at the docks. The ship is being hauled from the ferocious sea by the brute power of the prisoners of the notorious Bagne of Toulon jail, one of these prisoners is Jean Valjean (Jackman). The sequence should set precedence for how the film should unfold but this is as large as the film can aspire too, more of this later.

Jean Valjean is belittled by the over empowering Javert (Crowe) who has the convicts cards marked early on. This is where we are given our first taste of a sing off. As Jackman oozes talent Crowe immediately shows he is miscast in this roll. Crowe has a poor singing voice and an inability to act and perform a song at the same time. In his eyes you can see that his usual confidence is washed away, not by the waves of the crashing sea but by Jackman’s effortless performance.

The singing form the entire film was recorded on set at the time of filming. An unusual approach yet one which gives a certain amount of credibility to the way the scenes are acted, not including Crowe. However, it would have been preferable to fill the cast with people who have singing abilities.

Ability is in abundance when Anne Hathaway playing Fantine graces the scene. Whilst others in the cast struggle with singing and acting Hathaway gives the performance of her life. Pure emotion and talent is pushed upon the audience in what is without doubt the films greatest moment. Hathaway has to walk away with the Oscar for her performance. It was mesmerising.

The film charts the life of Jean Valjean after he leaves prison. Turning his life around he finds wealth but struggles to find love. Generous to a fault he is always on the lookout for his nemesis Javert who would throw him back in jail if he could find him. The relationship between to two is the main focus of the film however I never felt the tension was visceral which lets the film down.

We are however presented with great performances from Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen who provide comic relief with skill. Eddie Redmayne provides a fine performance as Marius while Samantha Barks is brilliant as Eponine. She is a wonderful talent who has a bright future. Amanda Seyfried plays Cosette well but she has an unfortunate problem of sounding like Gizmo from Gremlins when she holds a long note. Not ideal.

The film opens in such an epic way it eclipses the scale of the entire film. There are some set pieces on real streets which add to the impressive opening however, we are then transferred to soundstages to replicate old Paris streets. These sets, although built very well, give the feel that we are back in a West End theatre and not submerged in the gritty surroundings the audience deserves.

There are shortcomings in this adaptation with singing but perhaps this was inevitable given the way the songs were recorded. Overall this is an enjoyable flick in which Tom Hooper has done, yet again, brilliant work.  

Verdict;

4 out of 5.