Jack said he didn't hate it. But I did. This extravaganza about 19th century French people yearning for justice and happiness and finding only, well, misery, is crack for those who loved the stage version (fourth longest running Broadway show in history--just over 16 years). The special effects and long steadicam shots are pretty spectacular, too.
Here's the thing: I detested the musical in London the summer of 1986, less than a year before it opened in New York. My friend and I flew from L.A., left our luggage at the hotel, he insisted we see a show, and tickets were available. He promptly fell asleep and I sat grumbling in my seat. Sure, I was in a foul mood, what with the 8 hour jet lag and all. But there is art that can transcend one's subjective frame of mind and then there is this. Up until about a month ago I thought Les Mis was by Andrew Lloyd Webber and I don't like him either (the two longest running Broadway shows are his: Cats and Phantom; the third is Chicago. I loved Chicago).
The movie's director Tom Hooper (won the Oscar for The King's Speech) is enamored with proving his actors are singing live. Some wags (in links below) have referenced the close-ups of actors' tonsils. As a musician, I agree they would have sounded way better in a studio and not braying into the camera. And this musician isn't an opera fan. Grumble grumble grumble. Not everyone agrees with me. The movie has many wins, nominations, and beaucoup bucks in box office receipts. I do admire those who can sing while crying, but I had had enough after about a half hour of this movie. Actually I kind of got the giggles, not only from the weep-singing but also because the person next to me, not Jack, was constantly making noise--rustling his popcorn bag, crunching, applauding, humming, fidgeting, even jingling metal in his pocket.
Hugh Jackman (known to many simply as Wolverine in five movies and counting--two more are in the pipeline--he can do much more: I liked him a lot in Someone Like You... (2001), Scoop (2006), The Fountain (2006), and The Prestige (2006)) works really, really hard, as does Anne Hathaway (last in these pages in The Dark Knight Rises). Russell Crowe (most recently in State of Play) sings while hanging ten (toes) at the edge of a precipice. Twice. Even the antics of Sacha Baron Cohen (The Dictator) and Helena Bonham Carter (Dark Shadows), though mildly amusing, can't save this.
And on to the snark. On NPR the other day David Edelstein, in listing his top 12 movies of 2012, made me laugh out loud as he trashed this one. If you care to, listen here from 9:00 to 10:45 for those comments. David Denby of the New Yorker is in complete agreement with me in this blog post (within that post is a link to Anthony Lane's equally harsh New Yorker review). Then Anne Hathaway and Samuel L. Jackson made a silly video they called the "Sad Off" about their Christmas movies, this and Django Unchained. Sam wins.
So please don't let me deter you from enjoying this blockbuster, if it's your thing. Do what you wanna do. Audiences are averaging 84% on rottentomatoes to critics' 70. It got eight Oscar nominations this morning to add to its growing pile of accolades. But this gal would rather be just about anywhere else.
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