The movie of Les
Miserables was based on the musical that was inspired by the book that was
inspired by real-life events in post-Revolution France. A lot of people love
this movie dearly and just as many can’t stand the sight of it. I am one of the
former, so I can’t really sympathize with you other lot. Everything about the
movie that I thought made it flawlessly great cinema has been used as similar “proof”
of its faults. All this controversy makes it tough to critique without bias. I
think everyone should watch it to see for themselves if they like it. If you
don’t, I understand, but I tend to think you will.
Director Tom Hooper has become the butt of the film’s major
criticisms. I keep hearing people bitterly refer to him like he’s some sort of
incompetent, as if everyone’s already forgotten that he just made The King’s Speech two years ago. If you
like that movie, which was universally loved as far as I could tell, there’s no
reason you shouldn’t like this one. Danny Cohen did the cinematography on
both films, which exhibits a style that is unique, daring and strangely
effective. Most of Les Miserables is
shot with a handheld camera, something I’m not a fan of, but it’s done here
with a steady precision that creates a personal view of the actors instead of
simply being sickening like other shaky-cam movies. A lot of the picture is
done in close-ups, like Anne Hathaway’s now famous performance of “I Dreamed a
Dream.”
This scene caught me completely off guard with its
frankness. This is the song that everybody knows. It was used in the
advertisements and it is probably the one part of the movie that everyone was
curious about going in. The entire song is shown in a tight close-up of
Hathaway’s face and was done in one unbroken shot. Anne Hathaway is a perfect
choice for such a heartbreaking character, since she is so sweet and lovely on
screen and off that she already easily gains pity. The emotion she displays in
this movie is staggering to witness, and even the haters can’t deny its power.
One thing we can apparently all agree on is that Russell
Crowe was a bad casting choice. I do not have a problem with the fact that all
the singing was recorded live on set. To me, that broke down one of the
principle barriers typically found between musicals and their audience. Even in
the most expensive musical films, we are always subconsciously aware that the
actors are lip-synching. Here, they are all free to continue acting into the
songs. I also do not think Russell Crowe is a bad actor, and I usually enjoy
his performances, but here he was just plain uncomfortable to watch. Yes, his
singing voice is flat and emotionless. That might not have mattered so much if
his acting didn’t match. He stiffly stumbles through the movie, wheezing and
sputtering, taking all the life out of a very important character. Thankfully,
the rest of the cast, including a much-praised Hugh Jackman, is all amazing and
without notable weakness.
Crowe is literally the only complaint I have about the
entire production, which is otherwise one of the most compelling and powerful
movies I have ever seen in theaters,
and I’m not just blowing smoke. I can’t more strongly recommend the experience
of it on the big screen, where the already bold and personal visuals become
even grander. At the Christmas Day screening where I first saw it, it seemed
like the entire packed theater stood up and applauded and cheered, something I’ve
never seen before. I don’t care if you hate Tom Hooper or the cast or musicals
in general. You need to catch Les Mis.
10/10
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