The Damned United

Les Misérables

** out of ****

Directed by: Tom Hooper

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne and Anne Hathaway

Running time: 158 minutes

When Tom Hooper’s hotly anticipated adaptation of (arguably) the most beloved stage production of all time starts focusing on the class struggle around an hour in, the film starts living up to its musical legacy. In fact, it would even make Victor Hugo, the author of Les Misérables, proud.

In June 1832, dissatisfied Parisian students and insurrectionists revolted against their government, deriding their lack of sympathy toward the lower- and middle-classes. Besieged behind a barricade, in actuality, was Hugo.

During this middle section – from the bellows of “Look Down,” through the showstopper “One Day More” and up until the tissue-grabber “A Little Fall of Rain” – Hooper’s film largely succeeds. However, although this part of the adaptation achieves the power and unabashed sincerity fans of the long-running musical expect, this version is, largely, a Les Miss.

For those unfamiliar with Hugo’s novel or the musical from Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil, Les Misérables tells the tale of Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), a prisoner who breaks his parole but chooses a life directed by mercy and forgiveness. Nevertheless, bitter policeman Javert (Russell Crowe) still pursues Valjean and hopes to capture him so the ex-con can repay his debt to society.

Eight years after Valjean receives his yellow ticket of leave, he is the mayor of a small town in France. Factory worker Fantine (Anne Hathaway), who lives in his town, loses her job. Frightened to spend her life among the mobs of the vagrant poor and with a child to care for, Fantine prostitutes herself into submission.

On the eve of her death, Fantine entrusts her daughter’s safety with Valjean. The ex-prisoner retrieves the girl, a snowy blonde named Cosette, from the care of two malicious innkeepers, the Thenardiers (Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter). That young girl will grow up to be played by Amanda Seyfried.

In Valjean’s care, adult Cosette wishes for a life of normalcy. She falls for a revolutionary named Marius (Eddie Redmayne), himself the object of affection for the Thenardiers’ daughter, Eponine (Samantha Barks). In addition, this love triangle starts spinning its tri-color passion on the eve of the 1832 revolution.

The film’s cast has spoken at length about Hooper’s creative decision to have them sing live on set, instead of pre-recording the soundtrack for them to lip-sync during the shoot. This move gives the actors the freedom to experiment with different line deliveries during takes. As a result, the film frames these solos primarily in close-ups and medium close-ups.

The medium of film gains an advantage over theatre since the players’ faces can be shown at a closer distance, giving the viewer a more intimate glimpse into the pain and the plight of the characters. However, this creative decision only works on a few occasions here.

When Anne Hathaway belts out “I Dreamed a Dream,” her anguished reminisce of days gone by is powerful – and shot impressively in two uninterrupted takes. We can hear the aches and creaks in her voice while seeing the desperation in the actor’s face. The two long takes are emotionally devastating, guaranteeing her an Academy Award nomination.

Both Redmayne (who sings “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”) and Barks (“On My Own”) also give their solos similar gusto and dedication and have the chops to sell it at an onscreen close-up. However, the sung soliloquies that comprise quite a portion of the film’s soundtrack can only be visually arresting if the performer is good enough for the material.

Unfortunately, Jackman doesn't have Colm Wilkinson’s urgency and vocal power. Crowe, meanwhile, strains his throat and stands mostly granite-faced throughout the film's duration, hardly an intimidating villain.

Neither actor has the conviction to match their stage counterparts, nor does the film's proletariat chorus have the range to match the level of a community theatre production. Too many of the group lyrics are mumbled to the point of incoherence.

To blame for these missteps is Hooper, more at home with television work for BBC and HBO (although he has a Best Director Oscar for The King’s Speech). It’s not just the film’s costumes and sets that are torn and sewery: the editing, especially in group scenes and numbers, is disjointed and often confusing, as the camera doesn’t hold on these miserables long enough.

Les Misérables has its share of riveting moments and powerful showstoppers, but it is too inconsistent to wholeheartedly embrace. The talent is mixed, the direction sloppy and the characters mostly incomplete. Often, Les Misérables lacks showmanship when it tries to be bombastic and integrity when it tries to be intimate. You will hear the people strain.