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Review: Les Miserables (2012)
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Mark Leeper
Dec 26, 2012, 10:15:25 AM12/26/12
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LES MISERABLES
(a film review by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: Tom Hooper takes the now classic stage musical
and makes of it a film even more spectacular, sweeping,
and poignant. It covers nearly the entire emotional
spectrum possible. LES MISERABLES is a moving film
experience to be treasured. I consider it the best film
I have seen in years. Rating: +4 (-4 to +4) or 10/10
The play LES MISERABLES by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel
Schonberg was and remains a very successful international
theatrical hit, as moving today as it was twenty-five years ago.
To bring it to the screen, director Tom Hooper (THE KING'S SPEECH)
seems to have given considerable thought to what is lost and gained
translating a stage play to cinema and specifically what can be
done in cinema that cannot be done in live theater. The very the
opening sequence has maybe a hundred prisoners being human winches
pulling an enormous ship into dry dock with only muscle power on
long ropes.
The new film version is shot with an active camera--perhaps a
little too active--that allows us to see emotions on actors' faces
as well as splendidly beautiful backgrounds. Political references
in the play can be made more understandable in the film. Having a
handful of actors on stage giving throat to spirited calls for
revolution in the play cannot compete with scenes of the barricades
being built twenty feet high and seeing a small group of students
facing off against rows of armed soldiers.
The Victor Hugo novel is one of the great works of literature, so
describing the plot here is like describing the plot of HAMLET.
Hugh Jackman plays Jean Valjean, a released prisoner. His crimes
were stealing bread for his hungry family and later a few prison
escape attempts. The law requires that he show his passport as a
former prisoner and he is beaten and reviled wherever he goes.
Valjean nearly turns to a life of crime out of desperation until a
Bishop inspires him to spend his life repenting and serving others.
But to do so he must break his parole, and the fanatical Police
Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) chases him for decades. Their
different viewpoints--Javert's devotion to the letter of the law
and Valjean's belief in religiously inspired positive works and
mercy--define their actions and their philosophies for years. One
positive act on Valjean's part, helping a former employee, ends up
changing his whole life.
LES MISERABLES has been adapted many times to the screen--46 times
are listed in the IMDB--and until now perhaps the best was Raymond
Bernard's film in 1934. This new film is the only version that
rival's Bernard's for detail and complexity. That is ironic since
it had to carry the weight of the singing in addition to telling
the story. The singing of the musical content is done with the
actors' own voices sung in front of the camera, itself a remarkable
practice these days. And the singing is done in long camera takes,
not piecing together bits and pieces with peak moments as was done
in films like MOULIN ROUGE and CHICAGO. The difference is like
being given steak instead of hamburger.
Filled with actors known for drama rather than singing, LES
MISERABLES still does very good in the musical sections that make
up nearly the entire film. Jackman has a good singing voice, but
Crowe's voice is discordant as is the personality of his character.
He is an impressive force when not singing and a little less when
he is. He manages singing better than Clint Eastwood or Lee Marvin
has. Hooper may have been going for something other than operatic
perfection from his character. Anne Hathaway's singing is
excellent and wedded to intensive acting in one of the standout
performances of the year. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham
Carter are a little overripe in the comic relief roles of the two
Thernardiers, but perhaps the intense story needed some relief.
With a story about among other things class conflict this
production of the play by Boublil and Schonberg is perhaps timelier
today than when the play was first produced. That makes this an
important film as well as a very well made one. Any small failings
of LES MISERABLES are overwhelmed by the accomplishment of what was
done here that is directly on the mark. I found the film is a
powerful experience. The audience I saw it with not only applauded
at the end, they applauded it in the middle. I give the new LES
MISERABLES the very rare rating of +4 on the -4 to +4 scale or a
full 10/10.
Film Credits: <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/>
What others are saying:
<http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/les_ miserables_2012/>
Mark R. Leeper
mle...@optonline.net
Copyright 2012 Mark R. Leeper
(a film review by Mark R. Leeper)
CAPSULE: Tom Hooper takes the now classic stage musical
and makes of it a film even more spectacular, sweeping,
and poignant. It covers nearly the entire emotional
spectrum possible. LES MISERABLES is a moving film
experience to be treasured. I consider it the best film
I have seen in years. Rating: +4 (-4 to +4) or 10/10
The play LES MISERABLES by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel
Schonberg was and remains a very successful international
theatrical hit, as moving today as it was twenty-five years ago.
To bring it to the screen, director Tom Hooper (THE KING'S SPEECH)
seems to have given considerable thought to what is lost and gained
translating a stage play to cinema and specifically what can be
done in cinema that cannot be done in live theater. The very the
opening sequence has maybe a hundred prisoners being human winches
pulling an enormous ship into dry dock with only muscle power on
long ropes.
The new film version is shot with an active camera--perhaps a
little too active--that allows us to see emotions on actors' faces
as well as splendidly beautiful backgrounds. Political references
in the play can be made more understandable in the film. Having a
handful of actors on stage giving throat to spirited calls for
revolution in the play cannot compete with scenes of the barricades
being built twenty feet high and seeing a small group of students
facing off against rows of armed soldiers.
The Victor Hugo novel is one of the great works of literature, so
describing the plot here is like describing the plot of HAMLET.
Hugh Jackman plays Jean Valjean, a released prisoner. His crimes
were stealing bread for his hungry family and later a few prison
escape attempts. The law requires that he show his passport as a
former prisoner and he is beaten and reviled wherever he goes.
Valjean nearly turns to a life of crime out of desperation until a
Bishop inspires him to spend his life repenting and serving others.
But to do so he must break his parole, and the fanatical Police
Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) chases him for decades. Their
different viewpoints--Javert's devotion to the letter of the law
and Valjean's belief in religiously inspired positive works and
mercy--define their actions and their philosophies for years. One
positive act on Valjean's part, helping a former employee, ends up
changing his whole life.
LES MISERABLES has been adapted many times to the screen--46 times
are listed in the IMDB--and until now perhaps the best was Raymond
Bernard's film in 1934. This new film is the only version that
rival's Bernard's for detail and complexity. That is ironic since
it had to carry the weight of the singing in addition to telling
the story. The singing of the musical content is done with the
actors' own voices sung in front of the camera, itself a remarkable
practice these days. And the singing is done in long camera takes,
not piecing together bits and pieces with peak moments as was done
in films like MOULIN ROUGE and CHICAGO. The difference is like
being given steak instead of hamburger.
Filled with actors known for drama rather than singing, LES
MISERABLES still does very good in the musical sections that make
up nearly the entire film. Jackman has a good singing voice, but
Crowe's voice is discordant as is the personality of his character.
He is an impressive force when not singing and a little less when
he is. He manages singing better than Clint Eastwood or Lee Marvin
has. Hooper may have been going for something other than operatic
perfection from his character. Anne Hathaway's singing is
excellent and wedded to intensive acting in one of the standout
performances of the year. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham
Carter are a little overripe in the comic relief roles of the two
Thernardiers, but perhaps the intense story needed some relief.
With a story about among other things class conflict this
production of the play by Boublil and Schonberg is perhaps timelier
today than when the play was first produced. That makes this an
important film as well as a very well made one. Any small failings
of LES MISERABLES are overwhelmed by the accomplishment of what was
done here that is directly on the mark. I found the film is a
powerful experience. The audience I saw it with not only applauded
at the end, they applauded it in the middle. I give the new LES
MISERABLES the very rare rating of +4 on the -4 to +4 scale or a
full 10/10.
Film Credits: <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/>
What others are saying:
<http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/les_ miserables_2012/>
Mark R. Leeper
mle...@optonline.net
Copyright 2012 Mark R. Leeper
reilloc
Dec 26, 2012, 10:45:06 PM12/26/12
to
On 12/26/2012 9:15 AM, Mark Leeper wrote:
>I give the new LES
> MISERABLES the very rare rating of +4 on the -4 to +4 scale or a
> full 10/10.
Gag a fuckin' maggot. From the opening shot of a big boat CGIed for
>I give the new LES
> MISERABLES the very rare rating of +4 on the -4 to +4 scale or a
> full 10/10.
World of Warcraft to containing absolutely no song anybody could leave
the theater humming, what's to like about this overdone tearjerker? Not
even the usher who tried to give me the phony silver candlesticks on the
way out, claiming I'd forgotten them could save it for me. Really, my
only persistent thought was that here was a view of a society that would
have been had things on the first Tuesday after the first Monday last
month turned out differently.
LNC
molly...@gmail.com
Dec 31, 2012, 7:04:16 AM12/31/12
to
What an intelligent review-- thank you!
I agree that Crowe was stronger when he was NOT singing than when he was. I didn't think he was BAD, I just didn't think he was as good as the others. His best moments were when he wasn't required to sing because it seemed singing required SO MUCH EFFORT from him-- I felt he was really trying so very hard to hit his notes that any acting was lost. That said, I still think he managed to eke it out and somewhow saved himself from becoming a disaster. I think he got by on sheer earnestness. I think earnestness is also what helps the movie in places where it might've faltered.
I thought the film was gorgeous and moving and all the wonderful things a movie ought to be. I give it an imperfect A as well. I loved it.
I agree that Crowe was stronger when he was NOT singing than when he was. I didn't think he was BAD, I just didn't think he was as good as the others. His best moments were when he wasn't required to sing because it seemed singing required SO MUCH EFFORT from him-- I felt he was really trying so very hard to hit his notes that any acting was lost. That said, I still think he managed to eke it out and somewhow saved himself from becoming a disaster. I think he got by on sheer earnestness. I think earnestness is also what helps the movie in places where it might've faltered.
I thought the film was gorgeous and moving and all the wonderful things a movie ought to be. I give it an imperfect A as well. I loved it.
Mark Leeper
Dec 31, 2012, 7:21:40 AM12/31/12
to
On Monday, December 31, 2012 7:04:16 AM UTC-5, molly...@gmail.com wrote:
> What an intelligent review-- thank you!
>
> I agree that Crowe was stronger when he was NOT singing than when he was. I didn't think he was BAD, I just didn't think he was as good as the others. His best moments were when he wasn't required to sing because it seemed singing required SO MUCH EFFORT from him-- I felt he was really trying so very hard to hit his notes that any acting was lost. That said, I still think he managed to eke it out and somewhow saved himself from becoming a disaster. I think he got by on sheer earnestness. I think earnestness is also what helps the movie in places where it might've faltered.
>
> I thought the film was gorgeous and moving and all the wonderful things a movie ought to be. I give it an imperfect A as well. I loved it.
>
I love the story. I consider it the best novel I have ever read--all 1550 pages of it--and I think this is the best film version.
> What an intelligent review-- thank you!
>
> I agree that Crowe was stronger when he was NOT singing than when he was. I didn't think he was BAD, I just didn't think he was as good as the others. His best moments were when he wasn't required to sing because it seemed singing required SO MUCH EFFORT from him-- I felt he was really trying so very hard to hit his notes that any acting was lost. That said, I still think he managed to eke it out and somewhow saved himself from becoming a disaster. I think he got by on sheer earnestness. I think earnestness is also what helps the movie in places where it might've faltered.
>
> I thought the film was gorgeous and moving and all the wonderful things a movie ought to be. I give it an imperfect A as well. I loved it.
>
Thank you for the kind words and have a Happy New Year.
-- Mark
Mike S.
Dec 31, 2012, 10:30:29 AM12/31/12
to
To this day there's something I can't figure out about how the French are
portrayed for English-speaking audiences. It's what I internally refer to
"Jean-Luc Picard Syndrome"; i.e. they all sound BRITISH. What's wrong with
a French accent? The child actor playing Gavroche has such a thick Cockney
accent that, with all the re-used scenery, one might think for a minute
that they're watching Sweeney Todd.
Evelyn Leeper
Dec 31, 2012, 11:01:32 AM12/31/12
to
English-speaking audiences identify the class that Gavroche comes from.
--
Evelyn C. Leeper
Discovery consists of seeing what everyone else has seen and
thinking what no one else has thought. -Albert Szent-Gyorgi
Obveeus
Dec 31, 2012, 7:04:30 PM12/31/12
to
> LES MISERABLES is a moving film
> experience to be treasured. I consider it the best film
> I have seen in years. Rating: +4 (-4 to +4) or 10/10
I won't go that far, but I'll at least give it credit for being one of the
> experience to be treasured. I consider it the best film
> I have seen in years. Rating: +4 (-4 to +4) or 10/10
better films I have seen in the theater this year. I definitely expect an
array of award nominations for this film.
> The Victor Hugo novel is one of the great works of literature, so
> describing the plot here is like describing the plot of HAMLET.
as only passing familiarity with the musical numbers of the play/film.
> Hugh Jackman plays Jean Valjean, a released prisoner. His crimes
> were stealing bread for his hungry family and later a few prison
> escape attempts. The law requires that he show his passport as a
> former prisoner and he is beaten and reviled wherever he goes.
> Valjean nearly turns to a life of crime
> out of desperation until a
> Bishop inspires him to spend his life repenting and serving others.
> But to do so he must break his parole, and the fanatical Police
> Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe) chases him for decades. Their
> different viewpoints--Javert's devotion to the letter of the law
> and Valjean's belief in religiously inspired positive works and
> mercy--define their actions and their philosophies for years.
religious grounds. Javert's following of the law was a religious belief as
he hele the strictest interpretation that one must be good at all times to
follow the path towards salvation. He definitely did not follow the belief
in being forgiven for one's sins or turning the other cheek or whatnot.
> The singing of the musical content is done with the
> actors' own voices sung in front of the camera,
promotional machine would have one believe.
> Filled with actors known for drama rather than singing, LES
> MISERABLES still does very good in the musical sections that make
> up nearly the entire film.
definitely a musical rather than a drama with musical numbers.
> Any small failings
> of LES MISERABLES are overwhelmed by the accomplishment of what was
> done here that is directly on the mark. I found the film is a
> powerful experience. The audience I saw it with not only applauded
> at the end, they applauded it in the middle.
about half full, but there was nary a peep from anyone when the film ended.
Some people bolting for the bathrooms, though...and unfortunately many
people didn't even need to do that because they took breaks during the film.
:-/
Mark Leeper
Jan 1, 2013, 11:08:22 AM1/1/13
to
I will say that I have strong feelings for this story. I read the unabridged 1550 page translation and considered it to be the best novel I had ever read. Victor Hugo is really a great writer. He also wrote NOTRE-DAME DE PARIS (aka HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME and thought it was very powerful also. So my reaction to the film might have been stronger than yours.
Valjean does not entirely turn to a life of crime. In the course of the book he breaks his parole, but his only crime of commission in the course of the novel is stealing a small coin from a boy. This is just after he leaves the bishop and he feels so bad about it he turns to a life of positive acts. Had he not repented or not visited the bishop he would have turned to a life of crime.
Good point that Javert is religiously motivated also.
I guess different audiences react differently. It is rare that a movie audience will applaud in the middle of a film. It happens more with plays because live actors can pause. I may have had an especially chatirable crowd. It WAS Christmas Day.
-- Mark
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