LES MISÉRABLES

Directed by: Tom Hooper

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen

Running time: 158 minutes

In just one movie, you can see Wolverine, that guy from Gladiator, Catwoman, Borat and Belletrix Lestrange, and they all sing. I have to say musicals are not my strong point. This genre is not my favorite. I find it difficult to enjoy (the story is in the song lyrics you know? You don't say!) and I'd rather watch any movie from Andrei Tarkovsky than any musicals.

However I shall not look down upon this one since it has garnered eight Oscar nomination, plus seeing Wolverine sing for two and a half hours can be a new experience for a guy like me. I wanted to know, why does Oscars love musicals so much?  Especially since Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) is the one behind the camera.

Set in the middle of 19th century, prisoner 24601, known as Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), is released from prison and breaks parole to create a new life for himself. He was jailed because he stole bread to feed his starving family. Asa a prisoner he knows Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe), a hard man with fervent belief that once a thief will never change into something better. Fast forward into several years later, Valjean has changed into a wealthy man. But he must escape the persistent Javert while saving a poor factory worker, Fantine (Anne Hathaway) and taking care her illegitimate daughter.

Actually I am looking forward to see the non-musical adaptation (the 1998 version with Liam Neeson as Valjean) since the theme of the story is interesting. It is not just about love, but about redemption, belieef, sacrifice, human rights and justice for all.

But this one does not disappoint, although my ears are sort of tired paying more concentration to understand the lyrics (If the film is in English language, I do not turn on the subtitle) and I have no idea what Les Misérables is except that it was a book written by Victor Hugo and this one is adapted from the famous stage musical adapted from that book. Too much adaptation?

With almost no spoken dialogue (even the 'normal' dialogue felt like it was tuned to singing), this is a segmented film. What I like is how the visuals give a grand feeling. It does not make me feel as if Tom Hooper just put a camera at the theater stage, it gives me a certain cinematic feeling.

The acting is superb. I can see why Anne Hathaway and Hugh Jackman got nominated at the Oscars. Hathaway raw performance manages to project desperation, dreams and sadness. From what I read, instead of recording the songs before shooting, Hooper change the strategy by making the performers really do sing as the shooting process progressed, thus it makes the acting something of a kind.

As for the songs I cannot give comment since I am not an expert on musicals and the one and only song I know is I dreamed a dream and that is because Susan Boyle has sung it several years ago.

Overall, my personal taste aside, this one is a decent film and deserves to be nominated in the best picture category.