A Les Mis Review...
Okay.
So, I almost didn't see this one. I'd been warned by 2 separate, disparate Les Mis fan sources that this was ... not the goodness. However I'm on winter break, had nothing better to do, and movies are only 6 bucks before 12. So I snuck a burrito into a theater to watch starving paupers. Go me.
I am a big fan of the original musical. I first read the book in high school to impress a boy (I read a lot of things to impress boys in high school...), ended up enjoying it, saw the 1998 film with said boy, and finally saw my first live performance of the musical in college. Yes it is melodramatic and long and and I love it, okay? See previous Hobbit Review.
I'll start by saying adapting the musical straight up the way they chose too was a very difficult choice. They might have had an easier time if they went the RENT route and turned some of the dialogue-songs into just dialogue. The editing made it feel very claustrophobic and frequently unnatural. No one can suspend their disbelief for musical numbers like me, but a lot of these just do not work on screen the way they do on stage. I think they also stuck too closely to theater pacing which ended up rushing and chopping at the scenes. "Lovely Ladies" turned almost Moulin Rouge with its speed.
Now, I could forgive most of that if the songs were better. I freaking love Moulin Rouge and it's one of the most frenetic films out there, but I love Ewan MacGregor singing and nothing will change that. However the actual music, the core essence of this movie was tragically lackluster.
I'd been warned, and I didn't go into the film with high hopes, but I expected a couple of things to be better. I expected Hugh Jackman to be a better ValJean. He wasn't bad, but he wasn't great either. I know he's got a great voice and has a lengthy musical theater background, but the directorial choices they made with a lot of his songs were very odd. A lot of whispers when I wanted belts and vice versa. Also Colm Wilkenson cameos as the Bishop, so could we not just ask him how it's done? He'd give tips, I'm sure.
I also expected a better Enjolras too because he is played by Aaron Tveit of Next to Normal Fame. Another guy that I know can play and angry, powerful, persuasive character but who comes off ... weak. Enjolras should never be weak. I left upset that I would not have gotten up to follow that Enjolras.
Cosette and Marius are not my favorite characters, and I tend to judge them harshly, but Cosette couldn't handle the soprano notes and Marius regularly sounded like there was something stuck in his throat. And am I the only ones who was getting weird Marius and Enjolras' messy breakup vibes? The two were giving looks... like pointable looks. I felt awkward. Enjolras is supposed to love his country and be upset with Marius for not being passionate enough about his country. There were other things he was upset about in those looks.
Eponine sang well enough for me, but they made such choices with her storyline and costuming that I had trouble following her. I was not okay with the idea that Eponine withholds the letter from Marius rather than dies getting him an answer from his precious Cosette. That defines her character. Going the cliche route of having her die taking Marius' bullet was a cheap trick and upset me at my core. Also, the pouring rain during "On My Own" was overkill, guys. The song is already the official Angst Theme of teenage girls everywhere. We do not need her to be out in the rain in that skimpy top. Be nicer to that actress.
The Thenardiers... just can someone tell me why "Master of the House" was sung with a French accent and then ever after the accents were British? There's nothing I hate more than people doing bad French accents because the musical is set in France. I already assume I'm getting this in translation and do not require any accents to remind me everyone here is French. The billion French Flags give me enough clues, thanks. Performance-wise Sacsha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter aren't awful, but I'm still rather upset at HBC for Sweeney Todd and nothing in her performance here redeemed her. Also the choice to cut "Beggars at the Feast" was a poor one, writers. That song is the moral of the story and provides a key piece of social commentary which you guys dropped on its head. As bad a move as changing Eponine's death.
I'm sounding really negative, which isn't entirely accurate. There were some good bits too. I expected to hate Anne Hathaway, but I thought both her singing and performance were one of the higher points of the film. She captured the character, sang on key, and belted the appropriate moments. That is all I ask of a Fantine. I was also shocked by little Gavroche. That kid can both sing and act which is ridiculously rare for someone so young. Little people, indeed.
Given all of that, the film would get off as "fine" on my my radar if it weren't for Russell Crowe.
Whose idea? Seriously, who? I want to know exactly what factors went into this casting because every time the man was on screen was painful, even when he wasn't singing. The singing was so, so hard to listen too. A) Russell Crowe is not a baritone and B) he doesn't seem to believe in emoting. Yes, Javert is a closed individual who doesn't give a lot of outward emotional signs, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have emotions. Crowe is like a block of wood learning to talk. It's awful. "Stars" should be one of my favorite numbers, but instead I felt like plugging my ears with the remains of my smuggled burrito.
It probably doesn't help that I am thoroughly enamored of Richard Armitage's baritone right now and keep imagining him in the role. He would be *so good.* And Aidan Turner can be Enjolras. I have no idea if he can sing beyond "That's what Bilbo Baggins hates," but I don't care... he's dreamy.
I just got done watching the Nostalgia Chick's review and agreed with her on one major analogy. When I look at a film like "Fellowship of the Ring," another dramatic, long, complicated piece to adapt, I can honestly say that I think that is the best adaptation possible from that source material. When I look at this Les Mis ... it's not. It's going to be very quickly forgotten. Anne Hathaway will get her Oscar for playing the saddest role this year, and then the film will fade into the obscurity of other Les Mis adaptations. And that's a shame.
I'm a bit sad about what this means for movie musicals. It's a genre I love, but recent adaptations have been rather shoddy and critically panned. I'd still love to see Wicked brought to the screen, I'd love to see a faithful Jekyll & Hyde, or even a proper Into the Woods. I don't think any of those things are going to happen soon, and if they do, I'm betting they will be similarly challenged by small budgets and trying to cram big name stars into characters. Nowadays, we see so many movies crammed onto a Broadway stage, that there is less and less to go the other way.
If nothing else, I hope people will be exposed to the songs and thus get an urge to support their local theatre's productions. Maybe even another Les Mis tour? I'd give you guys lots of money, I would. I'll even write you up a cast list.