Les Miserables Review Thread (Use Spoiler Tags)

[beadelf]

I love the story Les Mis, really enjoyed the book....but the musical is just a bit lacking in all respects for me, one great song and a load of mediocre ones, I feel the story suffers from being a musical in the first place!

This isnt an awful film adaptation just not great, I would have liked a new version which got rid of the songs altogether. I liked a lot of the casting apart from cohen and carter!

oh and I couldn not stop laughing everytime redmayne sang, he wasnt great.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by beadelf

I love the story Les Mis, really enjoyed the book....but the musical is just a bit lacking in all respects for me, one great song and a load of mediocre ones, I feel the story suffers from being a musical in the first place!

This isnt an awful film adaptation just not great, I would have liked a new version which got rid of the songs altogether. I liked a lot of the casting apart from cohen and carter!

oh and I couldn not stop laughing everytime redmayne sang, he wasnt great.

Have you seen/heard the Broadway production before? I've read Les Miserables and love the novel. But, the musical takes the story to entirely new heights of intensity when done properly. I can't disagree more with your statement about losing the music. However, I could agree with you that THIS film version could have been far better.

[beadelf]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

Have you seen/heard the Broadway production before? I've read Les Miserables and love the novel. But, the musical takes the story to entirely new heights of intensity when done properly. I can't disagree more with your statement about losing the music. However, I could agree with you that THIS film version could have been far better.

nope Ive never seen the musical before, Ill stick with the book, as i found no new heights of intensity in the music, I felt nothing, I felt ten times more when reading the book.

Ill stick to that, or versions of the film with out the singing, Even the liam neeson version was better than this.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by beadelf

nope Ive never seen the musical before, Ill stick with the book, as i found no new heights of intensity in the music, I felt nothing, I felt ten times more when reading the book.

Ill stick to that, or versions of the film with out the singing, Even the liam neeson version was better than this.

Well, the Broadway musical itself in its original incarnation is way better than the film. The film has many flaws that really make it far less powerful than the stage version. Just keep that in mind. Don't pigeonhole the musical in general because of this film version of said musical.

[Buddy Ackerman]

I saw this yesterday. Honestly, I thought Russell Crowe was fantastic in it. For me, his more earthy-toned style of singing really suited the character. I really enjoyed his performance. His final song and the contradictions of character he found himself tangled up in were a highlight.

I really enjoyed the film, even if I found the first half to be much stronger than the second. Once we cut forward in time (for what I assume if the second half of the stage version) the story seems to try too hard to set up these new characters (the revolutionary boys) or aged versions of the two young girls - giving us who they are, what they stand for, what their aims are, etc - and none of it sticks for me, despite strong performances. it was too rushed, especially compaed to the long, complex character development that Jackman got in the first half. Also, the love triangle sucked a hell of a lot of energy out of the film for me though Samantha Barks was incredible.

Jackman and Hathaway were both brilliant, I really bought Jackman's torment over who he was and the assumed karmic debt he took on after being shown mercy. Hathaway killed it in her time onscreen and the only time I got emotional was after her scenes cut to the young Cossette (sp?) singing her song which was heartbreaking. That actress was wonderful.

One thing that I think I may be in the minority over - I really didn't mind when

[Show spoiler]the little cockney urchin boy was killed. He was far too 'cockney urchin' for me and I could never buy the character as more than a stage school boy throwing himself into a school play. So I was pleased when he got taken out of the film.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Originally Posted by Buddy Ackerman

I saw this yesterday. Honestly, I thought Russell Crowe was fantastic in it. For me, his more earthy-toned style of singing really suited the character. I really enjoyed his performance. His final song and the contradictions of character he found himself tangled up in were a highlight.

I really enjoyed the film, even if I found the first half to be much stronger than the second. Once we cut forward in time (for what I assume if the second half of the stage version) the story seems to try too hard to set up these new characters (the revolutionary boys) or aged versions of the two young girls - giving us who they are, what they stand for, what their aims are, etc - and none of it sticks for me, despite strong performances. it was too rushed, especially compaed to the long, complex character development that Jackman got in the first half. Also, the love triangle sucked a hell of a lot of energy out of the film for me though Samantha Barks was incredible.

Jackman and Hathaway were both brilliant, I really bought Jackman's torment over who he was and the assumed karmic debt he took on after being shown mercy. Hathaway killed it in her time onscreen and the only time I got emotional was after her scenes cut to the young Cossette (sp?) singing her song which was heartbreaking. That actress was wonderful.

One thing that I think I may be in the minority over - I really didn't mind when

[Show spoiler]the little cockney urchin boy was killed. He was far too 'cockney urchin' for me and I could never buy the character as more than a stage school boy throwing himself into a school play. So I was pleased when he got taken out of the film.

Sounds like another who hasn't seen the glory of the broadway musical.

The stage musical version flows much more smoothly amidst all of the characters and their situations. Also, there are far more "intersecting transitional" moments that help bleed scene changes on stage compared to the many "main song ends and cut straight to next scene" moments in the film.

If you read through the thread, fans of the stage show have been expressing their dislike for the way Tom Hooper (director) chopped the show up. Understandable given the nature of a film musical, but unforgiveable for the die-hard fans.

Like I've said before, the film version is good. But, it is underwhelming in a number of areas that unbalances the brilliance of the stage production.

[Buddy Ackerman]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

Sounds like another who hasn't seen the glory of the broadway musical.

Yup, that's me. I haven't seen it so it's interesting to read that the source material doesn't have these problems (as I see them anyway). Overall I thought the film was very good but with a significantly weaker second half. Which is a shame because Redmayne's character being torn between his role as a revolutionary and a lover is another nice extension to the 'who am I' thread of the film and of the roles people play, most notably seen with Jackman but continued later with Crowe. It also had one of the better songs of the second half (Red and Black). But it didn't land for me dramatically because I felt no connection or empathy towards him - his character came across as quite bland.

I also didn't care one bit about Cossette in the second half, for the same reasons. I understand how the fate of this child is the backbone of the story and affects all the characters within but all she did was look at Redmayne in the market, fancy him, sing a bit about how in love she was and then... that was that. To be honest I was rooting for Barks in the love triangle simply because, although she was as sketchily drawn as Seyfried's Cossette, her performance was pitch perfect and her anguish palpable. But, as I mentioned above, the love triangle didn't work for me at all. It sucked energy out of the film because I had no reason to care for the characters or their needs (nor did I buy that a glance in the marketplace was all it needed for Seyfried and Redmayne to fall so deeply in love).

Not that the second half wasn't still good - I thought Tveit was excellent as the revolutionary leader, Hear the People Sing was wonderfully rousing and all the performances were fine, with Jackman and Crowe (particuarly his final song) continuing to shine. But compared to the energy of the first half it just couldn't compare.

[Mel823]

Originally Posted by Buddy Ackerman

Yup, that's me. I haven't seen it so it's interesting to read that the source material doesn't have these problems (as I see them anyway). Overall I thought the film was very good but with a significantly weaker second half. Which is a shame because Redmayne's character being torn between his role as a revolutionary and a lover is another nice extension to the 'who am I' thread of the film and of the roles people play, most notably seen with Jackman but continued later with Crowe. It also had one of the better songs of the second half (Red and Black). But it didn't land for me dramatically because I felt no connection or empathy towards him - his character came across as quite bland.

I also didn't care one bit about Cossette in the second half, for the same reasons. I understand how the fate of this child is the backbone of the story and affects all the characters within but all she did was look at Redmayne in the market, fancy him, sing a bit about how in love she was and then... that was that. To be honest I was rooting for Barks in the love triangle simply because, although she was as sketchily drawn as Seyfried's Cossette, her performance was pitch perfect and her anguish palpable. But, as I mentioned above, the love triangle didn't work for me at all. It sucked energy out of the film because I had no reason to care for the characters or their needs (nor did I buy that a glance in the marketplace was all it needed for Seyfried and Redmayne to fall so deeply in love).

Not that the second half wasn't still good - I thought Tveit was excellent as the revolutionary leader, Hear the People Sing was wonderfully rousing and all the performances were fine, with Jackman and Crowe (particuarly his final song) continuing to shine. But compared to the energy of the first half it just couldn't compare.

Nobody cares about Cosette as an adult, even the stage show. She doesn't do anything in the second act. That's how it was in the book too. And, the romance really was like that in the book. Marius sees Cosette sitting with Val Jean, in the park, and falls madly in love with her.

[JamesKurtovich]

3/5

Russell Crowe as Javert was a disaster. He was the Nick Jonas of the film, clearly. All he brought to this was his name. What a wasted opportunity.

Enjolras was disappointing. He should be more energetic than Marius, imo.

Everyone else was fantastic or decent. I loved the alternate ending and seeing Colm as the Priest.

Sometimes the singing-on-the-spot sounded great, sometimes it sounded like a struggle as they juggled between acting and singing. They were way too quiet at times. Overall, I was a bit disappointed and will be sticking with the 10th anniversary concert. Will pick up the Blu when it hits $10.

[Riddler The Slag]

I saw this on Saturday and I literally felt like the title of this film says. MISERABLE. Haven't been so bored watching great actors who are clearly on top of their game do what they do best on screen in a long time.

I just could not get into the film. I kept looking at my watch and couldn't wait for it to be over.

Normally I LOVE musicals but this one felt like a trial of patience and it was definatly not my cup of tea.

But hey, my wife loved it.

[mattymoron]

Just got back from the film. I really enjoyed it. It reminded me so much of when I saw the play performed in Paris. I made it all the way to the end when

[Show spoiler]Fantine shows up and Jean gets out of his chair and walks away with her and all that

and I finally rolled a single tear.

I was expecting Crowe to be worse from all the reviews I've read, but I thought he did just fine. His solo was particularly good, I thought. Jackman and Hathaway totally stole the show though.

4/5

[Tony208]

I like it a little more now, the first time around I thought it was ok.

I liked Eponine the best.
The live singing hurt some and helped others.

[tigermoth]

Didn't like the movie, well the first half. I turned it off when the Borat guy tried to sing. All of the singing never reached that emotional climax they do with the great theatre singers who have performed this over the years. Movie musicals are generally always a waste of time. I'd rather watch a community theatre production of this than the movie.

[cinemaphile]

Originally Posted by tigermoth

Didn't like the movie, well the first half. I turned it off when the Borat guy tried to sing. All of the singing never reached that emotional climax they do with the great theatre singers who have performed this over the years. Movie musicals are generally always a waste of time. I'd rather watch a community theatre production of this than the movie.

I disagree. I like live theater (not so much the amateur community versions), but I love movie musicals.