Review of Les Misérables (1998) by Alyssa N — 20 Feb 2010

I won't compare this to the book, since I haven't read it, but the fact that this movie immediately made me want to read it is an indicator of how strongly it affected me. There's a captivating story here even on its own, but it was the acting that really blew me away.

The chemistry between Geoffrey Rush and Liam Neeson pulls the whole film together, and their final scene is so overpowering that I was ready to give this movie five stars on the basis of that, and because the whole plot is so suspenseful and engaging.

Then I had to remember that the plot does indeed have flaws, especially when it comes to pacing. A drama like this that takes place over decades should feel long, and it does, but the biggest time jump happens so suddenly that it's disorienting for quite some time, and other parts are rushed.