Ahem - be warned, this is going to take a lot of bandwidth !!I never write reviews because I am too much an unabashed fan of the subject matter when I care to write any reactions – I only share my very personal impressions and never intend on doing an actual critique!
I have been such a longtime fan of the musical ( since 1988) and have collected so much stuff relating to it ( cast recordings even in non-English formats, anniversary concert stagings, music sheets, memorabilia, etc). Most important, I have seen the production in four venues ( Broadway, London, Paris and here in Manila) - -over the years, for a total of 9 live performances! I must say that the musical held such a long attachment to me partly because of the story, the music, and Michael Ball ( the original Marius!)
All I want to write about are what made the movie musical adaptation create such an impression to me.
*Directorial choices --*First and foremost – my main and definitive reaction to the film is
its masterful storytelling! I have read the book twice ( over a span of over two decades), seen stage productions many times, listened to the score very often ( including the complete symphonic recording which has the complete libretto and musical score)…but somehow, I have never fully understood the entire storytelling intended by Victor Hugo, as seen through the eyes of the characters, in various stage productions I have seen. Maybe the music demanded too much of one's attention? This film adaptation ensured that the movie filled the gaps and enhanced the dramatic sweep as well as the intimacy from the book. This is not to fault the stage production but it did leave a few gaps as far as I was concerned. It is like a new story was unfolding and my senses were reacting to it for the first time. From the first scene of the tattered French flag to the last scenes of flag-waving at the final barricade – it all became a complete storytelling, effectively done and so pleasurable to the senses!
I do not know if it is because the fulsome acting and singing actually created this kind of impression to me. I understood the lyrics even better as the actors acted out their thoughts and emotions and clearly enunciated them through the lyrics. The controversial close-ups actually helped achieve, rather than detract from this objective by the director! And some people whom I have seen this with ( also, blessed with the chance to see it on Broadway) exclaimed that this was the first time they fully understood the dramatic story. And I saw a media person tell Hugh that he only finally understood the story and felt for it after seeing the movie, even if he had seen the stage production 5 times! For that alone, Hooper’s contribution to spreading the Victor Hugo gospel is already a cut above the rest. (NOTE: I read Herbert Kretzmer’s comments after I wrote the previous sentence: “Seeing Tom Hooper’s film version a month ago, brought all the excitement rushing back. I loved his brave innovation of having the actors sing live in every take. Hugh Jackman later told me it was like being ‘set free’ to find a ‘heightened reality’. And, most gratifyingly of all, at least from a lyricist’s point of view, you can hear and understand every word, including those to Suddenly, the one new song we wrote for the film and which now has an Oscar nomination to go with the one for a Golden Globe.’)
The sung-through format actually enhanced the storytelling because the lyrics were generally sung slowly ( compared to when words are spoken) and they were accompanied by mostly perfect acting choices. Even some of the ensemble singing was so precise and builds up so well that they heighten the drama of the scenes even more.
If Hooper’s cinematic vision was to achieve such a heightened awareness and appreciation of the story of Les Miserables - - to me, he has achieved this par excellence! I think the Directors Guild knew what they were doing when they lauded him as one of the top 5 best directorial achievements this year – the Oscars, unfortunately, carry too much the burden of politics!
So, kudos to Tom Hooper for bringing us this movie!*Acting choices, complemented by singing choicesSecond, Hooper’s vision could not have been translated to such impeccable storytelling without the acting and singing performances of the entire cast! They gave us an intimate look at how each character grew before our eyes and wove his part in the tapestry of Les Miserables. And interacting with all the other characters further heightened how the tapestry is completed.
HUGH JACKMAN – what a tour de force! I think it was not just hype but what Hugh has said ( and what many fans believe) about this being a role of a lifetime is so very true! No hyperbole, just plain-speaking! He had all the attributes to make this role truly his - the acting ability, the musical theatre background, the physicality requirements, and that indefinable screen presence to lend charisma and sympathy to the character!
Some of my favorite acting moments, excluding those accompanying the iconic songs he delivers, include his moment of disbelief when the Bishop gave him the candlesticks, his parting embrace of Fantine, his wonderment at first having met “ My name is Cosette”, his moments of uncertainty every time the Javert threat is at hand, the moments when he finally understood what the young revolutionary fervor was all about ( watching them sing Drink With Me), his trek through the sewers, the moment when he finally gave up Cosette (when taking them back to the house of M Gillenormand), and the inner peace when he finally meets his Creator! I think I may have missed a few more.
I was particularly struck not just by his iconic solos/duets but also by how he would deliver the recitatives with such acting and singing inflections. Carefully singing the dialog so we can have an idea of how his thoughts were evolving or how he sent a message across. The SOLILOQUY is such a masterclass in acting and singing - -the change in the character’s turmoil to one of resolve can be seen not just in his face or body language but how his voice breaks down and how he later on firms up his resolve to change. Hey, that “ begiiinnnn” note was so impressively sung – you can see the veins on his forehead as he held the note like a true musical theatre artist!...
Another masterful command of a song was WHO AM I! Another definitive and compelling acting moment! From moments of selfishness to one of selflessness! His redemption was complete! And yet when he reprises the melody when he was telling Marius of his past – it was yet another take on Who Am I ( more weary and less assured in contrast to his earlier definitive declaration) presaging that the past continues to haunt him!
The CONFRONTATION, which defines the continuing contretemps between protagonist and antagonist, has to be one of the most difficult scenes to film! The acting required a reflection of the enmity from Javert but on the part of Valjean was one of resignation to the continuing assault from the police officer. The syncopated singing was another very well executed piece of music - -very difficult because they were singing in different keys. Plus the fight choreography - - fighting with two different kinds of weapons - it must have been difficult to envision and to execute! Both actors should have been given much more accolades for this scene compared to what critics failed to say or fully appreciate!
SUDDENLY is such a change of mood and melody! Suddenly has taken me back to when I first heard Hugh Jackman sing the little girl part from another Soliloquy ( the famous one, from Carousel). The intense parental feeling was never more deeply expressed than in this lullaby to love for a newly found child! So softly sung, so much wonderment in one brilliant piece of simple lyric writing, so much angst for what he had missed in the past! If there is a song that brilliantly translates that passage of discovery from the book ( to paraphrase: “The Bishop taught him the meaning of virtue, Cosette taught him the meaning of love” ), this is one of the most poignant. The Oscars should recognize not just the utter beauty of the song’s simplicity but also its context to the whole storytelling! In my case, I am doubly pleased because my favorite singer, Michael Ball, has already announced that he is singing this lullaby in his new album!
When the melody was reprised with different lyrics sang by Cosette as she despaired of her father’s sudden departure – and it showed Valjean slowing down because of age ( as he sat on the trunk which he could not heft as easily), a renegade tear coursed down my cheek. It was a full circle moment – from the first time he found Cosette to the time that he had to leave her from his care and devotion! Heart-wrenching!
BRING HIM HOME! After the fourth viewing, I think I finally solved the riddle of Bring Him Home. But first I must confess that the song never did mean much for me when I saw it performed in the many times I have seen the stage production or the anniversary concerts or heard the many recordings. Maybe because it sounded just like a momentary pause or lull in the excitement and they just gave Valjean some quiet moments at the barricade. They were beautifully sung ( definitive word is “sung” not “given meaning”!) in all those occasions! Strange as it may seem – that was how I felt! Unfortunately, many people relate Hugh’s interpretation to how all those predecessors tackled the range and the notes and the hushed moments! Who cared about acting and how the acting choices were delivered? Sorry, but it was mostly the singing consideration on all those previous interpretations!
In Hugh Jackman’s Bring Him Home – I believe that he is in an extended acting mode while the song builds up! After the fourth viewing, I only realized that the moment for him all started when he read the Marius letter to Cosette, showing the “consternation” or “anxiety” on his face that he was about to lose his treasured adopted child. He wanted to go to the barricade to see if this boy was worthy of his Cosette. But there, when he heard them singing “Drink With Me”, he fully understood the young rebels revolutionary fervor, Marius included. And when he heard Marius singing about his love for Cosette and “ Will Cosette weep should Marius fall” ( I can’t remember the new lyrics because it was slightly different from the stage production), it hit home that his daughter and this manchild really love each other deeply. And when he realized that Marius could also meet a fatal end ( and what it would to do to Cosette), his feelings merged between how he saw the young men about to die for their beliefs and the anxiety for Cosette because of the fear for Marius’s life – at that moment, he finally claimed the man-child as his own son!
So Bring Him Home became more of a statement of inner turmoil and how he reconciled himself that the boy has become his son...and thus he made an impassioned plea to God ( almost telling God what was the right thing to do) and turned it into a strong and impassioned , not just a soft and pleading, prayer!
To me, he continued to act out his plea when he uses superhuman strength and will to save Marius! He did bring him home!
When he reprises the song at the end – it takes on a completely different meaning!
This interpretation of Bring Him Home at the barricades has raised issues about Hugh’s vocal ability. The conventional wisdom (based on all the stage productions that preceded the movie adaptation) is that Bring Him Home is simply a soft prayer and usually sung in a head voice with falsetto.
Hugh is classified as a natural baritone, actually a high baritone, which means some notes in the upper register could be within his range. It is said that he was able to expand his range with additional vocal lessons. He is more comfortable singing baritonal songs and his tenor voice is sometimes described as piercing, not the more loved full-throated quality. But should the song be limited to one interpretation? I would disagree – he sings of his inner turmoil and of his ultimate impassioned plea for mercy. Belting out his prayer was not out of the question! Maybe it created a different impression with those more used to how Bring Him Home was usually sung ( which I have said initially never drew my attention in particular)? I was touched by it ...and see the wisdom of how he chose the acting and therefore the consequential singing choice for this song!
VALJEAN’S CONFESSION - he is old and weary and wanted to do what he thought would be right for Cosette, who is now marrying into a prominent family. He gave her up when he brought Marius and Cosette to the family home of the Gillenormands and saw what a happy life awaits his daughter. The ultimate sacrifice was his attempt to persuade Marius about what is good for Cosette, including a peek into his past. He has now fully entrusted his beloved daughter to his newfound son. Interesting that he reprised the melody of Who Am I to tell his tale!
THE FINALE!
The ultimate tear-inducing drama! With a lot of religious themes!
But I think I teared up not so much because he was dying but because he was at peace. His reprise of Bring Him Home resonated on a different level to me – reminding us of our mortality ( and how we may eventually face it – don’t we wish we would have the equanimity of Jean Valjean!). Just beautifully sung by Hugh – so different from the more angsty Bring Him Home at the barricades. He sounded so old and a little weary – but his thoughts were peaceful!
It was a beautifully enacted scene – especially when they sing my favorite line from the musical since I first heard it sung “ To love another is to see the face of God!”
Other thoughts on Hugh’s performance! He also succeeded in making us believe that he possessed the unusual physical strength of Valjean – maybe because Hugh is known for his physicality and his action movies. Can you imagine any of the stage performers doing all the hefting he did!!! Or if they could have found any other actor who could look or act like he did -- maybe Liam N …or Sean P or Robert Downey - other actors who have performed the role or names initially toyed with – but can they sing??!!
There is only one scene when I think, for me, he went out of character and became Hugh Jackman to me – LOL! It was the scene when he first stood in front of Cosette with his shirt slightly opened at the top and his total costume made him look like a objectified cinema symbol rather than an avuncular, let alone fatherly, image! Hey, they gotta give us one moment to drool! But he did get back into character after a momentary glimpse of the 2008 SMA (Sexiest Man Alive)!
Did his presence light up the screen! Definitely and categorically so! Even with the scenes with Russell or all the others – you were always aware of the Jackman/Valjean presence.
Did he hold up well in the scene with the original Valjean ( Colm W). His silent acting spoke so strongly and so dramatically of his ability to convey his thoughts or his feelings. He did not even have to sing one line! He became the real Valjean! Sorry, Colm!
Were his acting and singing choices, character buildup (the character’s look, the aging voice, included) and other performance indicators vindicated? If you look at his slew of awards and nominations - Golden Globe win, Oscar nominations, SAG nomination, etc) – it would seem that Hugh Jackman has passed the artistic parameters for his tour de force performance!
So, kudos to our favorite actor for this tour de force film performance!Let’s talk about –
RUSSELL CROWE – Russell is fine actor and this is the credential that he brings into the storytelling. He can sing, albeit it is not the usual musical theatre style, but his singing reflects how he was interpreting the role. Look at his eyes - there is the expression of disdain when he first encounters Valjean, there is the look of contemplation when he sings Stars as a prayer of how he views life, there is the sad admiration as he puts the medal to the dead Gavroche, and there is the final look of resignation when he could not reconcile the moral values of someone with a criminal past and he decides to end his own life. Russell’s Javert was an excellent counterpoint to the character of Valjean – both were strong-willed, both believed in an unusual duality ( the rigid moral code versus the merciful view of God), both had utter respect to duty and morality. Did his singing ( solos, duets, and recitatives) deliver his intended role interpretations well – I do believe so! Maybe I am biased but I have always believed early on ( when they were just casting) that Russell could deliver this role in the same way that Hugh was the only choice to interpret the role of Valjean!
ANNE HATHAWAY – the story of Fantine is the dramatic anchor that drives the rest of the story of Jean Valjean, through the introduction of Cosette into his life! Anne’s gave it a very fine interpretation, both in terms of the singing and the acting ( did you see how vacant her eyes looked after the last note of I Dreamed A Dream was sung?). I am glad that Tom Hooper settled for the more nuanced and softer interpretation of this song, which sounded more bombastic in the trailer.
AMANDA SEYFRIED – she did just fine as the protected and well-loved daughter of Valjean and the center of Marius’s first longing looks! As she is torn between adoptive father Valjean and the newfound love in Marius – she gives us a fine example of torn emotions and conflict between what was treasured in the past and what her future looks like. Two people who saw it with me ( of very different generations) liked her singing voice – I had no problem with her soprano! But in a sense, until the final dramatic scene, there is really not much to see in terms of dramatic range for Amanda’s role .
EDDIE REDMAYNE – he was a revelation not just because of his vocal abilities but also because he is fast evolving as a very fine actor. His Marius is faced with the pull of his family’s prominence and the cry of the marginalized or the dispossessed for social justice. He also needed to reconcile how he can shower attention to his new-found Cosette and the needs of his friends at L’ABC. He sings Empty Chairs at Empty Tables in his own inimitable way, without having to channel the most famous interpretation of this iconic song. One thing though – there is something that slightly bothered me in Eddie’s overall interpretation of the Marius role – he looked and sounded too British, no Latin fire which I have always embued the character of Marius with. But I guess that is a matter of preference.
SAMANTHA BARKS – she was a fine and sympathetic Eponine! Maybe a bit too refined from the Eponine we know who grew up as a daughter of the Thenardier crooks? Her singing is of course of very good but I wish she had more spunk and fire in her belly!
AARON TVEIT – Aaron is a fine singer and blessed with looks and also handled the acting very well. Yet, he does not have the charisma of Eddie Redmayne who does have not the blessing of Aaron’s looks. Aaron was very competent in the role, but he did not stand out as the book Enjolras did! Maybe if he had more screen presence or charisma?
HELENA BONHAM CARTER – of the Thenardiers, I thought she gave the more memorable interpretation. I usually do not think much of Mme Thenardiers from stage productions, but Helena’s take added the right dash of criminal and unkind behavior!
SACHA BARON COHEN - he was just there! Sorry, he did not strike me as particularly impressive – maybe I really do not know how to make of the Thenardiers. On stage they were the comic relief ( and did provide some key links in the story) but the book tells of a more shady past and future.
DANIEL HUTTLESTONE – a little too Cockney ( striking a bit of a discordant note) , but otherwise an excellent character in the annals of this Hugo story.
ISABELLE ALLEN – I can understand why Valjean would fall in love with her as a little girl! Good acting and singing, too -- like the boy actor for Gavroche.
THE BARRICADE BOYS ( sorry, I don’t have all the names) – but they were excellent, both in the scenes of camaraderie and the scenes of final sacrifice. All excellent singers and fine actors!
THE ENSEMBLES – the convicts, the factory workers, the lovely ladies, the poor of Paris – Hooper was lucky to have had this excellent source of acting and singing credentials! Such precision and heart in their singing. I was particularly moved by the ladies who sang Turning, after the carnage at the barricades!
THE OTHERS ( SOLDIERS, LES CITOYENS ET CITOYENNES) – again, no one can be faulted for their work on the movie.
MY SONGS and others --
I have always been touched by the songs of patriotism and love of country – so it is no surprise that I love the a capella start to DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING! To hear it reprised at the end, when a new beginning seems to dawn was even more compelling! My favorite song from the musical!
I also have a soft spot for THE RED AND THE BLACK, the rebels song at the Café Musain! Very stirring!
Related to Red and Black is DRINK WITH ME - the song of friendship and impending dark nights ahead. Very poignant.
ONE DAY MORE – the other anthemic song of Les Miserables was very well executed with the particicpants coming from different perspectives and physical locations! Nah, I did not miss the stage choreography that went with the song. The red flags are still there, proudly waved!
A LITTLE FALL OF RAIN – not as heartrending as in the stage musical because they probably put that up as the most sorrowful of the songs onstage. But this was a more realistic approach and made you like Eponine even more because she was very philosophical about her fate.
LOOK DOWN/ AT THE END OF THE DAY - - excellent ensemble songs!
IN MY LIFE -- I like the juxtaposition of the singing scenes between Cosette and Valjean...and then the song being reprised, albeit differently among Cosette, Marius and Eponine. The first sign that Valjean is starting to lose his beloved Cosette.
A HEART FULL OF LOVE -- Cosette and Marius finds love, while Eponine is the unwanted triangle. Romantic and ironic!
LITTLE PEOPLE – very poignant when sung by Gavroche before he was shot dead.
CASTLE ON A CLOUD - fitted better in the movie than in the stage production.
MASTER OF THE HOUSE - the comic relief as well as the exposition of the Thenardier characters.
COME TO ME – very tearful!
I love the many leitmotifs as they impress a different kind of feeling even when previously associated with previous songs. Did you notice that the last stanza to WHAT HAVE I DONE is basically the same melody and almost the same lyrics of JAVERT'S SUICIDE before he plunged down the river. One became an expression of hope and the other one of hopelessness - what an irony! Did you also notice that the hymn being sung by nuns in the convent when Valjean and little Cosette first sought refuge there was actually the melody of EMPTY CHAIRS AT EMPTY TABLES? Even earlier, it was the Bishop of Digne who first sang that melody ( "But remember this my brother. See in this some higher plan..etc")... But I did miss the stage production reprise ( an instrumental version) of BRING HIM HOME at the sight of the fallen Enjolras.
Have I forgotten anything?
*The creative choices –The production design was excellent, showing both the light and dark moods of the storytelling. The sweeping view of the mountains where Valjean found his salvation, the panorama of Paris, the view of the Notre Dame where Javert did his meditations, the beautiful church for the Soliloquy, the sordid atmosphere of the wharf where the lovely ladies and Fantine plied their trade, the teeming view of the sordid side of Paris, the romantic garden where Amanda and Marius met, the rainy pavements where Eponine sang of her unrequited love, the grandeur of the Lamarque funeral, the throbbing sense felt at Café Musain, when they were planning their stand and where they made their final stand, the ugliness of the sewers which served to emphasize even further how much Valjean had taken to heart his caring for Marius, the swell of the supposed River Seine where Javert chose to end his life, the grand wedding in a grand house, and the spiritual beauty of the convent where Valjean met his Creator!
Costumes and makeup were also impeccable. The color palette was evocative of the tricolors of France and the pitiful conditions of the marginalized. Makeup was excellent especially for the downtrodden. Hugh could have used a little more white hair? But the red-ringed eyes at the finale was enough to make you feel sorry for him,
Film scoring and orchestrations and sound were EXCELLENT! Love, love, love the musical background! There were some especially poignant scenes that tug at the heart because of the beauty of the music and there were thunderclaps in my heart, when the sound of rebellion and counterfighting boomed in the movie!
I have said earlier that he cinematography vision was very adept for this particular interpretation of Les Miserables!
The movie’s pace was fast ( partly because there was a need to edit it to a pragmatic screening length) but maybe if the Director’s Cut will become a reality, the editing will make even more sense!
As I have said earlier, this is a blog of my thoughts about the movie and the characterizations, with emphasis on Hugh Jackman, of course 
This is not meant to be material for debate because my impressions were probably not very objective ;D - -I love Les Miserables too much as well as this movie version to find fault with it. LOL!Jo
! As my long-suffering husband said "it was Hugh Jackman's film" and yes, I did have to stifle a sob or two! 
