Les Miserables review

Javert: Now Prisoner 24601, your time is up and your parole's begun. You know what that means? 
Jean Valjean: Yes, it means I'm free. 
Javert: No. 
[hands him a yellow paper] 
Javert: Follow to the letter your itinerary, this badge of shame you wear until you die. It warns that you're a dangerous man/ 
Jean Valjean: I stole a loaf of bread. My sisters child was close to death, and we were starving... 
Javert: And you will starve again unless you learn the meaning of the law! 
Jean Valjean: I've learnt the meaning of those nineteen years; a slave of the law. 
Javert: Five years for what you did. The rest because you tried to run, yes 24601... 
Jean Valjean: My name is Jean Valjean! 
Javert: And I'm Javert! Do not forget my name. Do not forget me, 24601. 

Director: Tom Hooper
(2012)

The first trailer I saw of Tom Hooper’s Les Miserables was before a 70mm screening of P.T Andersons The Master. At the time the ambition of the trailer was impressive, yet in retrospect this positive opinion was undoubtedly because of my excitement for Andersons impending film.  The Les Mis trailer rubbed off on me though, and the idea of the cast singing ‘live’ while they perform as opposed to a pre recorded track was certainly intriguing, enough to warrant the price of admission for a genre I despise. While there’s no denying Les Miserables possesses good performances, great songs and a heartbreaking narrative, the entire film is marred by some sloppy work from behind the camera.

Based on a play that’s adapted from a book, we follow criminal Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), a man who’s spent 19 years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread. His captor is the ruthless Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe)a man who will hound him for the rest of his life. After being freed Vajean breaks parole, becomes a factory owner and helps prostitute Fantine (Anne Hathaway) by saving her daughter Cosette (the wonderfully talented Isabelle Allen) from 2 cruel foster parents (Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen). As the years pass the student rebellion gains momentum in France and the charismatic Marius (Eddie Redmayne) leads the fight, all while becoming entangled in a love triangle with Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) and Eponine (Samantha Barks). This conflict will change all their lives in the most drastic of ways.

Operatic in tone, Les Mis has next to no dialogue, but instead portrays its entire story through song. Many are fantastic, both enjoyable to listen to and exemplary at developing the characters and story. Yet some are borderline harrowing, no thanks to some poor singing and acting. In fact, despite the star studded cast, very few actually live up to their high billing. Crowe performs a double act of looking bored and singing like he’s been punched in the throat, Seyfried’s voice is too shrill and Bonham Carter and Baron Cohen trash every scene in that they appear. Their scene singing “Master of the House” could be used as a form of torture to the sane and tasteful.

Yet despite lacklustre performances from a large chunk of the cast, Hugh Jackman steps up and saves the day. He is a tour de force here, the spearhead that tears through the film in a brilliant, admirable fashion, dominating every scene and every song. His inspired acting holds the film together at the seams, making up for the poor singing from Crowe and Seyfried and the poor performances from Bonham Carter and Baron Cohen. Jackman has sacrificed much to appear in his beloved stage musicals and performances making Les Mis is the perfect role for him, a combination of his 2 professions an apt demonstration of his underrated talents. You’ll never look at Jean Valjean or Wolverine the same way again.

Complimenting Jackman’s stunning performance is the riveting Miss Hathaway, bringing so much to a character whose screentime is all too brief. Her Fantine is wracked with worry and despair, all of which Hathaway emotes to a brilliant level of precision. While she doesn’t put a foot or a note wrong, she’ll almost exclusively be remembered for her rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream”, gloriously executed in a single unbroken take. While such a moment of resonance happens little too early in the film, it doesn’t detract from what will most likely be a winning performance come Oscar night.

What isn’t up to the standard of Jackman and Hathaway’s commitment to their roles is the directing of Tom Hooper. He has a stern insistence on shooting the majority of the film in constraining and stifling close ups, focusing solely on characters faces. While there is truth in his belief that emotion is centred in the face, this is taking matters to the extreme. Take the opening number “Look Down” for example. Valjean and a myriad of other prisoners are pulling a ship into a massive dock as they sing of their hardships. Such a song and event caters to the sense of scale that's needed to do the narrative justice, yet instead we’re served facial shots of Valjean and some other no name prisoners. It’s a maddening decision, singlehandedly destroying some very important scenes as the camera jerks around, barely keeping in focus. Even Hathaway’s film stealing solo is tarnished by Hooper’s poor judgement; the depth of focus is so high her powerhouse performance often becomes blurred. When you’re directing a committed actor in such a spirited scene, the decision to shoot in such a way is bewildering.

The technical failings don’t end here, as Hooper is just as sloppy with his editing. While not as detrimental as the dire cinematography, it gives the film a horribly rough finish, like an amateur had taken the reigns for the first time on a high school project. It’s painful to see Hooper act so sloppy, especially considering the phenomenal costume and set design from (Eve Stewart). 19^th century France is a grim and disgusting location, expertly captured through the filthy streets and rundown buildings. The costume design follows similar suite, impeccably designed to fit the era and the character who dons them. When taking into consideration how hard many people worked on these aspects for them to be ruined by some awful direction, it starts to make The Kings Speech seem like a fluke.

By the time its painfully long running time has reached the credits, Les Miserables will have shocked, confused, elevated and disappointed practically every member of the audience. Beyond the abysmal camerawork and direction there gleams a strong musical lead by some equally as strong actors. In the hands of a more competent director this could have been a masterpiece. Instead we get a mess, albeit a passionate one.

6