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Les Misérables2012 | Tom HooperIn 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter. The decision changes their lives for ever.
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SIMILAR MOVIES
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| Carsten Sørensen 2016-01-12 |  |
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It has taken me a long time to watch this movie. Normally, I am not into musicals, so I was not in hurry to see this one. But I finally did it… The movie tells the story of ex-convict Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) who is being hunted by the police inspector Javert (Rusell Crowe). This movie is also about the Paris Uprising of 1832 (based on a novel by French author Victor Hugo). The novel has been converted into several movies and plays during time. This review is based on the musical version from 2012. The ensemble cast is strong (Hugh Jackman, Anna Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne did impress me). For me Russell Crowe was the weakest part (his singing was average compared to the other actors). I usually like Russel Crowe, but I think he works better in movies such as Gladiator and American Gangster. The movie is rather complex with several story lines. I did not read the book, but I had no problems following how the story progressed. I was bored by the beginning of the movie. Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) goes from ex-convict to mayor/factory owner without much explanation (he meets a merciful bishop). When things turn to the uprising in Paris, I think the movie gets better (we follow the revolutionists on the barricades). The romance between Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) and Marius (Eddie Redmayne) did not work for me (both actors did a good job, but the love at first sight cliché love story was just too weak). The movie is too long for my taste (I guess that the director wants to capture all the details from the novel). This version of “Les Misérables” is not bad, but it also confirms why I normally avoid musicals on the big screen (despite the interesting story, the endless singing is simply too much). Fans of musicals will probably rate this movie higher. The next time I watch “Les Misérables”, it will be a version with speech instead of singing. |
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