“Do You Hear the People Sing?” – Les Miserables – December 22nd, 2012

I am a huge musical theatre nerd and I am fairly certain that almost everyone who meets me learns this fact. I’ve loved watching musicals since I was a child – I guess it started before that, because I was exposed to it in the womb when my mother went to see The Phantom of the Opera when she was pregnant with me. From that moment I have loved going to the theatre to watch musicals.

When I heard that there was going to be a movie version of Les Miserables I got very excited. This is because Les Miserables is one of my Top 5 favourite musicals. I have seen the stage show twice, watched both anniversary concerts and have lost count of the number of times that I have listened to the Broadway recording.

I was lucky enough to have met the “original” Jean Valjean – Colm Wilkinson – when I was working in Toronto.

As I heard more and more about the movie I grew impatient to see it. I was happy to learn that it was premiering here in Japan on the 21^st of December and I knew that I had to see it before I left for my Christmas vacation (as English movies don’t stay too long in Niihama). So on the 22^nd my friend and I went to see it. This is a little more of a detailed review than that of The Hobbit and that’s because I did like this a little better then The Hobbit.

The film did not disappoint.

It really came to life on the screen. Being dropped into the actual cities and seeing these characters close up really made the story seem closer. With the film I felt that I could become more integrated with the story, rather than sitting apart from it like in the theatre. Also having the use of homes, churches and an actual set allows the world of 19^th century France seem real. (Though I did want at one point want to see some set piece spin, like the stage does.) Even the way the film is shot is wonderfully done; with the close-ups and sweeping crane shots it gives it an epic feeling – which is what this musical deserves. 

As for the acting I was a little wary about some of the casting, but I think that everyone did a very good job.

My favourite performances were by Aaron Tveit (Enjolras), Samantha Barks (Eponine), Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen (The Thenardiers). The first two performers by far are the best singers of the movie and when they were on the screen I couldn’t help but watch for them. Tveit does a wonderful job rallying the young Frenchmen to the cause. Barks breaks my heart as Eponine, her rendition of “On My Own” [which is my favourite song of the show] is one of the best I’ve heard and her death also brought on my first set of tears.

Cohen and Carter bring the laughs to movie. Their scenes could have stolen the show – as the songs and characters lend to that – but they didn’t. That though isn’t anything against the actors but more on the direction of their scenes. It something that I missed in the movie, as the levity is needed at parts. But I still enjoyed every scene they were in.

Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean did an excellent job of showing the strength and fear of the character. His singing is very good and he gives to the songs a different tone, but I still prefer Wilkinson. [Who has a part as the Bishop – which was nice to have him in the movie]. I think it’s because Jackman’s natural singing voice isn’t meant for these songs. Anne Hathaway was great as Fantine, showing this broken down, starving and desperate woman. She wouldn’t have been my first choice for the role in any dream casting but she does nail it and though I am not crazy about her singing her version of “I Dreamed a Dream” was a great moment. Russell Crowe as Javert also surprised me, he was a lot better than I expected. He isn’t the best singer, but he still held his own, what he was good at was the intimidation and hardness of Javert.

As for Eddie Redmayne (Marius) and Amanda Seyfreid (Cosette) I wasn’t to impressed; I think there could have been different casting choices. They were decent, however as opposed to staged versions I didn’t feel any connections to these two actors in these roles.

Though by any means it isn’t a perfect movie it was still amazing. I cried, I laughed and thoroughly enjoyed watching the story unfolding across the screen. I have to go see it if you have the chance!

4.5/5 Stars.