Les Miserables Review

Based off the beloved musical by the same name, the film adaptation Les Miserables has arrived just in time for Oscar season. It may even win a few. The movie takes place over a 20 year period during the French revolution. The story follows many people but the main person is a convicted criminal named Jean Valjean. Jean was arrested for stealing a loaf of bread and was sentenced to 19 years of slavery for trying to run. Once released he is put on life long probation, but after a random act of kindness from a stranger he throws away his old life to start a new one. Years later, under a false identity, Jean is a factory owner and the mayor of a small town. One day he is recognized by a military man who has made finding Jean his life long goal. Before leaving the town he adopts a young girl who's mother had just died and he makes her his own. Years later while living in Paris there is an uproar for revolution and they are caught in the middle of it. Jean's daughter falls in love with a revolutionary and after he is wounded Jean is willing to risk his own life to save his. Just so his daughter is happy. Now going into this movie you need to be ready. Les Miserables isn't like a Disney movie where there's talking and the break out into song every once in a while. This movie is a straight up musical, 90 something percent of the dialog is sung. Fortunately most of it is sung well. Almost every actor gives a great performance, Hugh Jackman may even be nominated for an Oscar. Now surprisingly the weak link is Russel Crowe. He's a great actor, but not a great singer. And that is really highlighted when you got people like Ann Hathaway singing "I dreamed a dream" perfectly, and then you got Crowe's music. The best aspect of this movie is the cinematography, it's absolutely gorgeous. It's some of the best I've seen this year. Probably my biggest complaint about this movie is that it feels long. It's not that it is long, it's only 160 minutes which is actually shorter than several blockbusters to come out this year (such as the Dark Knight Rises). But since some scenes really slow down, and the fact that it's a 160 minute long musical makes it feel over three hours. But all in all Les Miseralbes is a good movie. Good acting, music, and beautiful cinematography makes this an enjoyable film. And that's coming from someone who isn't a big fan of musicals. 4/5