Les Miserables Review
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Les Miserables
Universal
PG 13 157 min
Here's a little tip for anyone who plans to go to a Broadway show or a film based on it. It might be a good idea to listen to the CD of the music before going to the theater in order to become a bit more familiar with the songs. I did not do that before I'd ventured out to see LES MISERABLES. Probably my unfamiliar iti with the music made the experience slightly less enjoyable then when seen other musicals including JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR and THR PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.
It may also be that Andrew Lloyd Webber's music is more accessible but I digress. There are a couple of approaches with casting Broadway musicals for film. You can find great but unknown Broadway stars with world class voices or you may choose charismatic movie stars who can also sing a bit and hope that the facial expressions carry the song.
Here they've opted for the movie stars and I'll admit I have no real problem with that approach.
At the opposite and would be the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera which included a stellar cast made up of world class talent. Even though I found the music and story to be dreadful I couldn't help but be in awe of the spectacular performances.
In Les miserables while I was impressed by the production I was more surprised that Russell Crowe and Hugh Jackman could sing at all. No disrespect intended but that is what pitch correction software is for.
It's the Victor Hugo tale of the French Revolution, a story of good versus evil and duty versus human nature.
Valiean (Jackman) has been sentenced to many years of hard labor for a minor crime.
Javert (Crow) is the police officer who will hound him for his entire life, not from any type of hatred, but for his own twisted reality of the black and white, right and wrong.
Soon after being paroled Valiean burglarize is a church and the kindness showed to him upon his apprehension is an epiphany in his life. He pledges to live his wife to make the world a better place taking charge of an orphaned child. Though his life has changed Javert still suspect him of being the parole breaker from years gone by.
The events of the revolution bring the adversaries face to face yet again. I will leave you to ponder whether Jackman will come to grips with his true identity or if Crowe can face and overcome his self-imposed dogma.
There are few memorable songs and only a couple light hearted, if you can call them that, moments featuring Sasha Baron Cohen as a conniving innkeeper.
At nearly 3 hours the film has a tendency to drag, although surprisingly not terribly.
I'm guessing I may well like the powerful story better the second time as I become more acquainted with the soundtrack
C+
WSS
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