What a fantastic few hours I had losing myself in the recent movie version of Les Misérables. The story itself is grand—–with traditional romantic love, with great familial love, with forgiveness and kindness and angry grudges, with revenge and shenanigans, with government oppression and religious salvation . . . . and with fabulous comedic relief by the innkeepers. (It wasn’t until the credits that I knew who those actors were, at which point, my movie companions and I collectively exclaimed, “Oh, yes—-that’s who that was. Of course!” (What *FUN* “Master of the House” is!))
You’ve likely heard the great buzz of Anne Hathaway’s primary song (I Dreamed a Dream), and it is grand. I also found Cosette and Marius to have wonderful chemistry. The depth of Éponine’s heartbreak grabs your soul with On My Own, even as much as you feel Marius’s love for another.
But my raves are not just because of a wonderful story. I’ve read that the key to this Les Mis is the “live singing” by the actors—-giving more depth and emotion to the performances. It works.
Is it perfect? No. Amid so many strong performances, Russell Crowe falls somewhat. But his bitterness is portrayed with a level leaving me just wanting to spit at him—-not because of his singing, but because of the acting he brings to his character—-with just enough glimpses into whatever ugliness sits in his heart. Hugh Jackman carries his role extremely well in my opinion. And the children and rest of the supporting cast—-just beautiful. Simply magical when together. (My favorite song is not Hathaway’s, even as great and moving as that is, but it is the ensemble performance of One Day More that swells my inner being.)
I wept, I laughed, I held my breath, and I tapped my toe. I leaned forward in my seat more than once. I leaned back with a sigh more than once.
Yes, it was Christmas Day when I saw the movie. So maybe the audience was a bit more generous. Still, it is rare for a cinema audience to applaud at the end of a film. But it happened, spontaneously. Beautifully.
I might have to see this one again on the big screen….