When I walked out of the theater after seeing “Les Miserables,” my eyes were a bit red, and I was still teary eyed, but it was well worth it. I was positively stunned, and the first thing I thought of were of ways to convince my friends to see the next showing, despite the fact we had quite literally just seen it.
“Les Miserables” follows a man and his struggles during the June Rebellion of 1832 (not the French Revolution), when mistakes were punished harshly and never forgotten. The movie opens in a labor camp, and we’re introduced to Prisoner 24601, also known as Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman). The opening song conveyed an amazing amount of fear and loathing that I could almost feel the absolute hatred that Valjean felt towards his seemingly endless and unjust punishment. The opening was tinged with resignation and a promise that something must change. Valjean is given parole, and devises many creative ways to stay alive. Through a series of tragic events, Jean Valjean decides to go above and beyond the obligations that a person would reasonably be expected to do, and he adopts a young orphan, Cosette (Amanda Seyfried).
I’ll admit it, I wasn’t overly enthused when I was told I’d be seeing a musical. I mean, musicals aren’t even that believable. What kind of people spontaneously break out into a song and have everyone around them join in without a question? I like music, but I’ve never really wanted to seek out a musical. “Les Miserables,” changed my mind. Yes, the dialogue is more often sung than not, but it was surprising to find that I actually thoroughly enjoyed the recurring ballads. Days later, I still sometimes catch myself singing “I Dreamed a Dream,” pretending that I’m in the movie as well. I don’t usually remember many songs from musicals, but the ones from “Les Miserables” still play themselves over and over in my head.
Besides the actual story line itself, the songs were by and far one of the best elements of the movie. The hopelessness, the despair and the absolute anguish that these characters were feeling was heartbreaking. Eponine’s (Samantha Barks) song conveyed brokenness and lost love in an unforgettable and powerful way.
In “Les Miserables,” it turns out that the actors were not lip syncing; director Tom Hooper of “The King’s Speech” insisted that all songs be sung live in front of the camera, which meant the actors only had an earpiece to wear to listen to a live piano off stage to help them keep pace. This gave the audience an intimacy that lip syncing simply couldn’t have created.
“Les Miserables” has a run time of 158 minutes, which is longer than most movies, but it didn’t drag on and on in the way some movies do. There were stories within stories, so there was never a dull moment, and there were even some comedic parts, to give the audience a break from the constant drama. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter, who played the quirky yet hysterical innkeepers, Madame Thénardier and Thénardier, alleviated the suspense of “Les Miserables,” and had the entire theater laughing during the moments when they were on screen.
The costumes were absolutely incredible, and gave the characters great depth. From the rags that the peasants wore, to the red coats of the French army, the detailed and historically accurate outfits helped set the scene. The decorative hats that the rich wore were abundant in color and textures, but the filthy, mud-stained clothes that the poor wore equally helped establish the difference between the rich and the dirt-poor peasants.
“Les Miserables” was a captivating movie that tugged at the heartstrings, and made me wish at multiple times during the movie that I had brought a tissue box. But “Les Miserables” was also a movie that that makes each of us face the question: who are we, and what can we change about it?
In addition to being nominated for 8 Oscars, “Les Miserables” has also been nominated for 54 more awards, and has already taken home 17, including a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture (Musical).
“Les Miserables” is an adaptation of a popular Broadway musical, which is based on famous novel, of the same title, which was published by Victor Hugo in 1862. The musical ran on Broadway in New York City at the Imperial Theatre from 1990 until 2003. This movie is a fantastic remake of the original Broadway musical.
This movie was beyond spectacular. It’s not suitable for young children, with its PG-13 rating, but it is a great choice for anyone who enjoys a story of bravery, unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption. “Les Miserables” is the perfect movie to see with your date, or with a group of friends; just don’t forget to bring the tissues. Invest the time to see this movie, because not only is it visually stunning, but it’s also the sort of unforgettable movie that stays in your head for months.
by HARMONY REILLY
