Les Misérables (2012)

It wouldn't be exactly true to say that I don’t like musicals. I loved Oliver when I was younger, and still very much enjoy Chicago – both the film and the show. Keep me clear away from Andrew Lloyd Webber though – stupid melty-face toad man! Les Misérables is a very different style to most others (as far as I’m aware). It’s not a play with a bit of music added in for fun and good measure – everything is sung, as it is with an opera, which is fine I suppose but it does take a bit of getting used to.

My prejudices against this film going in were not, therefore, entirely musical-related. It was more the cast. Specifically Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried. Especially Amanda Seyfried. Between them they’ve been in so many bullshit films that I’ve had to endure hearing about (even if I haven’t actually seen most of them) and I resent them for bringing them into my life. Examples include: Red Riding Hood, Dear John, Bride Wars, Letters to Juliet, Valentine’s Day, and Becoming Jane. What a load of crap.

By contrast Les Mis also features some very lovely people: Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter (even if she does play the same character as she does in many of her other films), and Hugh Jackman. There’s a fantastic collection of films that they’ve participated in: The X-Mens, Fight Club, Glorious 39, Twelfth Night, The King’s Speech, My Week with Marilyn. Real films that, even if they don’t suit everybody, at least weren’t written by Nicholas bloody Sparks.

An exception can be made for The Dark Knight Rises, which is obviously a fantastic film, and which doesn’t suffer too much for including Hathaway. I’m not sure she really adds anything though.

The presence or otherwise of Russell Crowe doesn’t really bother me. He’s one of those actors that has completely passed me by. Obviously I know very well who he is but of his reasonably lengthy film list, I’ve only seen Gladiator (once, a while ago), and Robin Hood. I might perhaps have seen A Beautiful Mind, or the beginning of it at least, but I can’t really remember it. Maybe I’ll try that one again.

Anyway… luckily for me aforementioned annoying actresses appear only very briefly. I am also forced to completely retract anything negative I have ever said about Anne Hathaway’s ability to sing. As much as everyone’s gone on about it and she’s nominated for an Oscar and all, I didn’t really believe she’d be anything other than adequate. I was very wrong. While her general acting is nothing to write home about, that Dreamed a Dream song is amazing. Whether it’s her singing, her facial expressions and body language, or the cinematography throughout, it’s a very powerful part of the film and, while I won’t admit to breaking down into hysterical tears, I was very impressed at the song’s strength.

I’ll let it be known at this point, that I don’t cry at films, not even Titanic. In the whole history of my film-watching I have cried at only 3 (that I remember). The first is a pile of rubbish and I don’t know what came over me – I blame teenage hormones. I won’t mention the film by name but suffice to say it starred Mandy Moore. One other is still my favourite film of all time: The Secret in their Eyes – it’s amazing and twisted and clever and everyone should watch it!

Film no. 3 I have to confess is Les Misérables. There was a reasonably steady stream of tears going by the end. Clearly it cheats by the strong use of music and everyone dying but the fact still remains that I apparently cared enough to display outward emotion and that deserves some serious praise.

Amanda Seyfried is just as annoying as I expected, but she doesn’t feature much so never mind. Actually, that was a point I found quite amusing. The character Marius (Redmayne) falls in love with the cute, blond Cossette (Seyfried) and fails to return the (probably more sincere) love of Éponine, the daughter of his landlord. Éponine is played by Samantha Barks who, after a brief look at her IMDB page, appears to have first appeared on the I’d Do Anything talent show. Maybe Webber does have a use after all as Barks is magnificent and easily outshines Seyfried. What is Marius thinking? She’s definitely someone to look for in future films.

I also think a lot of the credit for the success of Les Mis should go to director Tom Hooper. Not only did he direct The King’s Speech which is clearly marvellous, but he also (apparently) directed some Byker Grove episodes back in the day – what a hero! In the wrong hands this could have been an overly sentimental disaster but it’s not. Well, it’s obviously overly sentimental – it’s a musical – but it’s human and more believable than I think any stage production would be able to make it. I’m clearly biased though.