Les Miserables Movie

The much-anticipated Les Miserables, directed by Tom Hooper, is a film adaptation of the historical novel by Victor Hugo and famous musical by Alain Bloublil, which are not only beloved by many but are now world-renowned. The star-studded film has already won the Golden Globes award for Best Motion Picture and has been nominated for eight various Academy Awards.
The complex plot is centered around the 1832 June Rebellion in France lead by empowered youth seen through the eyes of lead character, Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman). Valjean struggles to redeem his once-imprisoned and sinful self by becoming the selfless mayor of Montreuil-sur-Mer. All the while, he conceals his true identity from Javier (Russell Crowe), the prison guard who loathed Valjean when he was poor, and begins to recognize him as the almighty mayor.
Jackman brilliantly plays Valjean, depicting the constant battle between good and evil, right and wrong, and honesty and falsehood. When Javert discovers his true identity, Valjean treats the evil man with devotion and forgiveness, a testament to his faithful character.
Much of Valjean’s path to enlightenment is rooted in his meeting of Fantine (Anne Hathaway), a struggling young mother-turned-prostitute who simply wants to send money to her young daughter, Cosette (Isabelle Allen). Valjean vows to help Fantine and take care of Cosette, and the passionate mother dies knowing that her daughter will be provided for.
Elizabeth Hogan, English teacher, firmly believes that the main message of the story lies within Valjean’s character. Hogan said, “What I love about Les Mis is Valjean’s idea of mercy, that we need to give to one another. We must learn to grow and change and redeem ourselves, giving mercy and allowing for space for redemption.”
Much of the film contains tear-jerking accounts of the brutal actions against the poor, as well as dazzling cinematography, transporting the viewer to a world of poverty, hatred and rebellion. However, amidst all of this negativity lies Valjean who refuses to give up on his merciful acts. Jackman’s singing voice astonished many fans of the movie, who had not previously heard these actors singing such iconic, powerful numbers. As each song was filmed live and remained digitally unmodified, the public was stunned by the cast’s performances, especially that of Hathaway’s, “I Dreamed a Dream”.
Having won Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes, Hathaway appears to be the crowd favorite. She threw herself into the role, losing 25 pounds to make herself appear ill as the starving Fantine. When asked about her diet of porridge, Hathaway told The L.A. Times, “I see the sort of work that people like Meryl Streep and Cate Blanchett and Kate Winslet can do, and I want to do that level of work so badly. But I don’t believe I’m as gifted as them. So the only thing I can control is how hard I work at it.” Her devotion to the role clearly paid off, with Thomas Neal, French teacher, describing her performance as “haunting and genuine.”
While Hathaway believably portrays a dying young mother, Crowe represents the mighty government figure who has no sympathy for the poor and drives a deep wedge between the upper and lower class. While some fans were disappointed with his rigid performance, Jeffrey Davis, history teacher, disagrees.
Davis said, “By my third viewing [of Les Mis] I grew to actually appreciate Javert’s character more. His notion of honor, duty, good/evil are so rigid and he invests himself so fully in that clear dichotomy that when that worldview is challenged, he cannot adapt. The notion that Jean Valjean could actually reform his life, possibly achieving the redemption that seems to so deeply matter to him, isn’t something that Javert can process. His whole life has been based on a certain understanding of the human character that is suddenly undermined.”
Whether they like Jackman’s performance of the devout hero, Hathaway’s representation of the fragile Fantine, Crowe’s execution of the evil Javiert or any of the other actors’ stellar performances, many fans agree that Les Miserables lived up to their high expectations.
The film adaptation contained an incredibly talented cast and proved that many good books can be transformed into great movies as well. Les Miserables tells a beautiful tale of becoming one’s best self–whether that be following a merciful path to find God, or simply forgiving the ones who have done you wrong. The film brought tears to practically every audience members’ eyes, teaching us that believing in a greater good is an important aspect of self-redemption and bliss.