December 25, 2012

• Movie Review: Les Miserables (2012)

  Brief review on this one – 

  Either as a newbie or an old friend, you’ll find the film adaptation a good one.  Les Miserables has one of the strongest stories of any musical out there.  Let it touch your heart this week. 

  If you know the story of Les Mis and already love the music, you’ll like the film. The actors aren’t tied to a grand orchestra driving the tempo and tone, so they can truly act while performing the songs. I like the cast’s voices during the film, though I don’t plan to buy the soundtrack to listen on my iPod or anything. (To me, the Broadway or original London recordings just soar musically, especially on showpiece songs like “Bring Him Home.” The film cast communicates the story better.) Anyway, the film gives such a sense of time & place & plot structure to what can feel befuddled on the stage.

  If you don’t really know Les Mis, the film offers a perfect opportunity to fall in love with a story that’s drenched in both Grace and themes of social justice which are just as relevant today as they were in Victor Hugo’s poverty-ridden France. “Look down, look down” at the poverty and suffering of the  masses, and be moved by the incredible mercy of God to do something about it.  Love the people in front of you — “to love another person is to touch the face of God.” 

  Also, Les Mis noobs will really appreciate a much clearer plotline thanks to the visual storytelling possible with film. The musical can be absolutely confusing if you don’t already know the story. There are multiple gaps in the chronology otherwise — twice, the story skips forward by at least a decade. And it’s hard to understand the barricade business. So if you’ve never seen Les Mis, this is a great way to start. 

   

  Favorite moments: [Spoiler Alert] Where our hero lets Javert go, telling him “the debt is paid, there are no conditions” on his offer of mercy to the guilt-ridden, Law-enslaved police inspector. It really doesn’t have anything to do with the movie….I just love that moment. 

  #2 favorite moment: Eponine’s solo, “On My Own.” Nearly every recording (except the 25th anniversary one) casts Eponine with “the most annoying nasal voice in the cast,” as if her character cannot be communicated otherwise. So thankful the film avoided that terrible pit and chose an actress who nailed it. 

  • 8:44 pm
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