The play Les Misérables is one of the longest running Broadway productions of all-time as well as an international phenomena. So, for better or worse, the film Les Misérables (2012), directed by Tom Hooper, is always going to be compared to that legacy. While some of the singing in the new film may not live up to major productions of the play, it is a worthwhile addition to the Les Miz canon and a fine way to bring a great story and exciting music to a wider audience.
In the interest of full disclosure, while I have not seen the play 957 times, I have seen it a few times and have owned the soundtrack from the original London production. So I went into the movie with certain expectations. If you have similar expectations, you may or may not be disappointed, depending on how flexible you are willing to be in what you want out of the movie.
Hooper’s decision to film the actors singing their parts live instead of lip syncing studio recordings was bound to result in less than perfect singing. The two major roles played by Hugh Jackman (Jean Valjean) and Russell Crowe (Inspector Javert) are the least spectacular in their vocals, generally singing on key but with less-than-powerful voices. Some, including singer Adam Lambert, have been critical of the singing in the film.
Yet, any decrease in quality in singing from stage to film is more than made up for in the emotional power of skilled actors playing the roles on screen in close up shots that you do not get on stage. Hugh Jackman may not get a Grammy nomination on his own, but he more than deserves the Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and his Golden Globes win last night.
Further, most of the other roles are played by excellent singers, including Anne Hathaway. Hathaway, whose mother was an understudy for the same role as Fantine in the first U.S. tour of the play, gives an outstanding singing performance, earning her a well-deserved Best Supporting Oscar nomination and a Golden Globes win even though she is only in a small part of the film. Hence, her vocal skills may be why her voice is the one featured in the trailer below on the song Susan Boyle helped make famous on Britain’s Got Talent.
The actors in the important smaller roles help make the film. Colm Wilkinson, who played Valjean on stage in London and New York, here plays the bishop. Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen provide comic relief as the Thénardiers better than one could do on stage because this comedy generally works better with small details you cannot see in a play. Samantha Barks gives a moving performance as Eponine, as do many of the youngsters in the cast. In short, those who are fans of the play, therefore, most likely will also enjoy seeing the story on screen and in repeated DVD viewings.
Those who have never seen the play who do not have certain expectations about the songs may like the film even more than those with heightened expectations. Of course, some people will refuse to see the movie because they “don’t like musicals.” But those who are open to the experience will be pleasantly surprised how a powerful story can be told entirely in song.
The film, of course, is based on Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel Les Misérables, which is a long but terrific story about life, forgiveness, love, faith, and hope. The story focuses on a former prisoner haunted by the law and the past despite the fact that he is a changed man. The book, musical, and film all touch on timely themes including a sub-story about a fight for economic justice. The world would be a better place if every human being watched or read this story at least once every year. The book has been made into a non-singing film several times, including a 1998 version starring Liam Neeson as Jean Valjean.
Even though the play premiered in its English language form in 1985, it took more than twenty-five years for the musical to make it into a film. Seeing what these actors and this director accomplished, it was worth the wait.
Conclusion? If you are open to watching a musical, or even if you are not, you likely will be drawn in by the combination of a great story with memorable music. If you have seen the play before, check your expectations and memories at the ticket window and just relax and enjoy the ride.
Other Reviews Because Why Should You Trust Me? Rotten Tomatoes has a 70% critics rating and an 84% audience rating for Les Misérables, somewhat reflecting the fact that the play was always more popular with audiences than with critics. Roger Moore at Movie Nation notes the underlying economic themes of the film and says that the movie is one of the best of the year. Bill Cashill at Popdose writes, “aside from some budget-conscious CGI and the inherent, inescapable staginess of some of the material,” there was little that he did not like about the movie. By contrast, David Jenkins at Little White Lies claims the movie is “nut-smashingly awful.” Meanwhile, Forbes Magazine discusses the political and ethical themes about law and grace in the story. Finally, if you would like to see the stars of the stage perform the songs from Les Misérables, the entire Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Concert is available on YouTube. Note, though, it is a concert and not a full-blown stage production.
What are or were your expectations of the film version of Les Misérables? Leave your two cents in the comments.
(Some related Chimesfreedom posts.)