Les Misѐrables

     Les Misѐrables, directed by Tom Hooper, is an emotional powerhouse supported by A-list actors: Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Russel Crowe, and I suppose you could add Amanda Seyfried in that list.  I expected them to steal the show, but to my surprise even the lesser known cast members knock it out of the park.

     During the Academy Awards, and the weeks leading up to the awards, all I heard about was Anne Hathaway’s performance of “I Dreamed a Dream,” and how amazing she did (and believe me, I don’t disagree.  She did a phenomenal job throughout the whole of her surprisingly short role.), but nobody mentions Samantha Bark’s “On My Own” (which I will admit damn near broke my heart), or Eddie Redwyne’s “Empty Chairs At Empty Tables,” or the unbridled fun of “Master of the House” performed by Helena Bonham Carter and Sasha Baron Cohen.  I can’t think of one bad performance in this movie except for Prisoner #36 in the first scene.  He has obviously never pulled a boat into a dry dock before. Ass.

     I find Hooper’s decision to use hand-held cameras throughout the movie really interesting.  At first I didn’t like how he was using this technique.  Unwarranted use of hand-held cameras can get on my nerves quickly.  When I feel like the characters are experiencing an earthquake while they nonchalantly discuss sandwiches it takes me out of the movie.  It shatters the magic of the movie.  As I watched this movie, though, I began to realize the brilliance of this strategy.  I began to feel like I was watching the action in a theater, but instead of being in the audience I was on stage with the actors, seeing their performances from an intimate distance.   It was a cool experience that I don’t think I’ve felt while watching a movie.

SPOILERS

This strategy didn’t always work, though.  The sword fight between Valjean and Javert felt too shaky.  I was no longer watching this action on a stage, or in the hospital where they fight, I was again sitting in my living room watching my TV which, oddly, is the last place I want to be while watching a movie.  I want to be whisked away.  I want magic, damn it.

SPOILERS ARE DONE.  YOU ARE SAFE.

All in all, I really enjoyed Les Misѐrables.  It was dark, it was emotional, and it was spectacular.  I’d recommend it to anyone with an open mind for musicals, and those of you who aren’t I would make you watch it anyway.  You might walk into this movie thinking musicals are dumb, but I would bet money most would walk out liking this one.  So there you are. Go watch it.  Then don’t tell anyone you cried.  Or tell your girlfriend, I hear they find that cute.