Les Miserables (2012) * * *

Directed by:  Tom Hooper

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

Tom Hooper's version of the legendary Broadway musical is likely the best version possible considering the logistics involved.     Based on Victor Hugo's novel,  it diligently covers the ground the musical covers and even adds a new song, "Suddenly".     For years, the film was stuck in development because the material was considered unfilmable.    Hooper and his cast do an admirable job of creating a visually pleasing and occasionally rousing musical.    I'd have to consider this a comedown from the stage version.    The stage version had an emotional sweep that the film doesn't have.    Certain parts and songs here are emotionally charged, but other points aren't nearly as well handled as in the play.

The film concerns the travails of Jean Valjean (Jackman), a hardened convict who spends 19 years in prison after stealing a loaf of bread to feed his family.    He is released to the world as a bitter man and after days of walking to Paris to meet with his parole officer, he is taken in by a kindly bishop.
Valjean steals the bishop's expensive silverware and vanishes like, well, a thief in the night.

Valjean is arrested by police and brought to the bishop, who in an act of compassion, lies in order to free Valjean.   A grateful Valjean begins his life anew and the parole officer is no longer in his plans.
He is hunted by Inspector Javert (Crowe), who has a black and white view on the law and morality.    He sees Valjean as a criminal incapable of change.    However, Valjean does change.   He becomes the mayor of a Paris suburb, (under a different name of course) and becomes wealthy running a factory.    One plot quibble is that Javert isn't that great at his job.   He is forever chasing Valjean for years on end and even though they live in the same city, he can never find him except by accident.    Just saying...

Another character is Fantine (Hathaway), a factory worker who is fired from her job and forced to prostitute herself to support her child Cosette, who is boarding with the evil Thenardiers (Cohen and Bonham-Carter).   Valjean comes across Fantine on the street, rescues the now sickly woman and promises her on her deathbed that he would rescue her child and raise her.     Another plot quibble in this film is that there is a lot of accidental bumping into going on here between characters.    Does Paris only have 100 inhabitants in 1832? 

I will not reveal much more of the plot, probably because doing so would take up a huge number of paragraphs.    I will say Cosette grows up a sheltered young woman and falls in love at first sight with Marius (Redmayne), a soon-to-be revolutionary who will start a revolution with a group of students and drinking buddies.    To say this revolution (based on fact) is ill-advised is an understatement.    Actually, it seems to be a revolution that takes place in one part of Paris while the rest of the city goes about its everyday business.     Strangely, the film really doesn't see Paris as a whole.   It doesn't seem as if there is a giant metropolis out there.      

Upon reflection, the plot to Les Miserables is absurd.   If the characters didn't keep accidentally running into each other at crucial times, nothing would happen.    However, this musical is more about the emotional truth than anything else.   It is epic in scope and has many more good songs than bad; songs which explain secrets, dreams, and harsh realities.    I admired the performances, although I don't think the Thenardiers were handled well.    In the play, they are the comic relief.   Here after they part with Cosette they have little to do.    They aren't seen as comic as much as desperate and ugly con artists.   

And although love at first sight happens plenty in fiction and I know I should just go along with it, would it be too realistic to expect Marius and Cosette to at least have a conversation before declaring their eternal love?   I picture the couple in a year or so at a very quiet dinner table because they have little to say of any interest.    And let's not forget Marius' friend Eponine (Samantha Banks) who is more attractive than Cosette and more interesting, but must play the role of sidekick with unrequited love for Marius.      

This is a strange review for me.   Les Miserables is a film with a silly plot, good performances, and a lot of costumes.   It has mostly good songs and is brilliant in parts while other parts reveal plot holes you can drive a truck through.    I'll stick with the three star rating because what's good here is very good.    However, I'll take the stage musical anytime.