Based off of the beloved musical based off of the beloved novel, Tom Hooper’s adaptation of Les Miserables has finally arrived. The musical has captured the hearts and emotions of those who’ve seen the musical. This film leaves something to be desired.
As someone who had never seen any form of the story, I really had no expectations besides the fact that I knew that it was considered one of the best musicals by the general public. So as a result, I can’t really talk about how this movie compares to other interpretations of it.
The movie follows Jean Valjean and his quest for independence, not only for himself but the role he plays in the independence of France. Valjean is played by song and dance man Hugh Jackman, and Jackman plays the character with total conviction. He brings a vulnerability and sincerity to the character.
He skips parole and his hunted by Russell Crowe’s character Javert, who holds his own singing, despite being surrounded by other great singers. Another star is Anne Hathaway as Fantine, a girl who ends up being subjected to misfortune. The cast is about as huge and as grandiose as the film itself.
Obviously, the main attraction to this is the singing, and it is there the movie doesn’t disappoint. Many of the songs were stuck in my head, as they were done fantastically by the cast. One element that Hooper did with the singing was having the actors sing live during their takes instead of recording their voices and then having them lip sinc.
I wasn’t really blown away by this element, but I’m sure this element strengthened the film. If you’re not a fan of singing, don’t go to this movie. There are about three words that aren’t sung, and the rest is singing. So if you aren’t prepared for copious amounts of singing, do not go.
The movie, though led with excellent directing and a strong cast, fails to be able to capture the emotions of the scenes, as the characters seem almost shallow and cartoonish in their depth of personality. While I did enjoy it, it still lacked in many areas and ultimately left me a bit unsatisfied.
