The Movie: Les Miserables (2012)
Studio: Universal Pictures
Director: Tom Hooper
Starring: Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Russell Crowe as Javert, Anne Hathaway as Fantine, Amanda Seyfried as Cosette, Sacha Baron Cohen as Thénardier, Helena Bonham Carter as Madame Thénardier, Eddie Redmayne as Marius, Aaron Tveit as Enjolras and Samantha Barks as Éponine
Screenwriters: William Nicholson, Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer based on the original stage musical from the novel by Victor Hugo
RottenTomatoes: 73% MetaCritic: 64/100
Snippet from My Review: (read my full review here)
Hooper’s handling of such a massive story is a mixed bag of tightly woven storytelling in the first half to dry, dull and tiring in the second. Perhaps that’s just the nature of the story, but everything about the introduction of Marius and all that leads up to the rebellion felt clunky and ill-conceived and none of it believable… I could watch the first hour of this film over again, but once Cosette grows up, Les Mis grows old.
Starter Questions
Here are a few questions I’m interested in outside of just your general opinion of the film and what you thought of it that may help conversation.
1.) Most everyone I’ve talked to agrees with me that the film loses all its steam after Anne Hathaway sings “I Dreamed a Dream”. Do you agree? Why or why not?
2.) This was my first time seeing any adaptation of Les Mis. How about you? If you’ve seen it before, how does it compare to previous adaptations?
3.) What was your opinion of the singing? I’ve heard both sides of the conversation, particularly concerning Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried and Eddie Redmayne.
Now share your thoughts on the film in the comments below and feel free to include spoilers.
