Review of Les Misérables (2012) by Mitchell B — 12 Mar 2016

As far as movie musicals go Les Miserable is good film. Whether you will like this film or not really boils down to your personal preference. I am not the biggest fan of movie musicals, especially the type of movie musical this film is. I've only seen a few musicals like Moulin Rouge, Chicago, this film, etc. I am not a fan of Moulin Rouge. Chicago I thought was alright but not great. Like Chicago, I found Les Miserable to be alright, but nothing you need to rush out and see.

Les Miserable is the story of a thief named Jean Valjean, played by Broadway star/actor Hugh Jackman. He is given parole and uses this chance to change his ways and start a new life. However, because he broke his parole, Inspector Javer, played by Russell Crow is pursuing him. He finds himself fathering a orphan child named Casette. The film follows the life of Jean and his relationship with his adopted daughter Casette.

I've not seen that many movie musicals. I've not seen the previous Les Miserable film starring Liam Neeson. I am not familiar with the play either. I'm going into this film as a newcomer to the material. So I cannot compare this film to any of the previous material. As a film on its own it's a good film, but it has problems. I'm not a big fan of the movie musical genre, so I have some personal grips with the film. However, there are problems with this film as a film as well.

I'm not a fan of the singing in this movie. More accurately, I'm not a fan of the characters singing every line of dialog. This is a personal gripe, but I just did not care for that. I would have liked it more if they just talked normally and periodically breakout into song.

The cast to a fine job acting-wise, with one exception. Hugh Jackman does a great job acting and singing-wise, which is expected from a Broadway singer. He is one of the best aspects about the film. Anne Hathaway gives a good performance despite having a small role. Anne Hathaway has been on a role this past year with this movie and The Dark Knight Rises. The side cast does fine as well. Amanda Seyfried does a decent job as well. I'm not a fan of Amanda Seyfried, but I did not mind her in this film. The reason I did not mind her is probably because she did not have that big of a role.

Russell Crowe, unfortunately, does have a big role in this movie. I like Russell Crowe as an actor, but he was just bad in this film. His singing voice is terrible. I would not mind if he had a smaller role, but he is one of the major characters of the film. Plus every line of dialog is in song, so you must hear him sing throughout the picture. Not only is Crowe a terrible singer, but his character makes little sense. I never understood why he is so bent on tracking down Valjean. Valjean's crime prior to going to prison is stealing a loaf of bread. It's not even that he did something unforgivable like murder someone.

Russell Crowe isn't the only bad singer though he is the worst in the film. Amanda Seyfried wasn't the best either. In fact, only three or four people in the cast were really good singers.

Also, the film's pace is too fast. I know it adapting the original story, but then that's also a fault of that story. It constantly jumps ahead a number of years when it's not needed. You have Hugh Jackman's character set free from prison and vow to improve himself then it cut to years later to when he adopts Casette and runs away with her two years later when she is grown-up. Each of those parts could easily have made a whole movie. This film really feels like three movies compacted together.

The production values in this film are brilliant. I have no complaints with the production. The actions scenes in the film were also well done. Despite me not liking every line of dialog being in song, there are some songs that I do enjoy.

Overall if you are a fan of movie musicals there is a good chance you will like this film. I thought it was alright, but not really my cup of tea.