Les Miserables (2012)

"Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!" The Students

I really couldn't help but love this film. I've got a bit of a love-hate relationship with the stage musical. I remember seeing it once and being bored out of my mind, and then another time and being on the edge of my seat. The music is incredible, the characters are flawed and dynamic and you can really do a lot with a gritty aesthetic. I think that this film was very well done. A lot of people have made complaints and the more I think about this film, the less I care. Hugh Jackman is the perfect Valjean. Russell Crowe was great as Javert. Their voices embodied what I really wanted to get from these characters. Basically I acknowledge what everyone complains about regarding this film, and then I understand why they did it. They wanted I Dreamed a Dream to be as up close and personal as possible. Yes that means that you stare at a 20 ft tall imagine of Anne Hathaway's head for a few minutes, but it's raw and personal. Then add in the fact that what you're seeing is her singing, not just her mouthing to a pre-recorded track. Very few films get that personal, and for a character who isn't around very long, they wanted you to feel connected to her. The most widely agreed-upon success of the film was Aaron Tveit. His fans from before Les Miserables loved seeing him on the big screen in such a powerful role, and his fan-base extended to people who never would have heard his name before. The cast is very strong. Just looking at the names gives you goosebumps thinking about what these people are capable of producing. The visuals of the film are beautiful and moving. The stark contrast between the gritty streets and the prim nobility is crisp and clearly defined throughout the entire film. It's beautiful and detailed and shows how despite the times and the people, the same struggles still exist. The large ensemble numbers are executed gorgeously. In was in those moments when I was entirely invested and couldn't be happier with what was playing in front of me. Lastly, the music. I already said that the vocals were incredible. I'm sure it was a massive amount of work, both on the part of the actors and the sound crew, to film and record at the same time. Unfortunately the theatre that I saw this film in did not have the best sound quality. It was quite difficult to hear at times, and I can't imagine that was an overlook on the part of the post-production team. At first, that definitely hindered my view of the film, and I'm glad that I was able to accept that as a one-off and enjoy the film for what it is: a brilliant and realistic adaptation of a beloved Broadway musical.

Rank: 43
Would likely move up upon rewatch.