I love musicals. I am a huge fan of the genre. I like both stage and movie musicals. I do however prefer musical comedies as opposed to the dramas. That mostly comes down to my music tastes as well, that I like more happy songs than sad or slow songs.
I have not seen the stage version of 'Les Misérables', probably because of the dramatic nature. I did have some knowledge of the story from the 1998 film, but I was still surprised at how stilted the structure is. It is my only minor problem with the film that with the many time changes that take place over the story that it feels a bit stilted. I'm not sure if that is because of the way the story is told or edited. It has a slightly episodic feel. The story does not flow from one time period to the next in a natural way.
Aside from that small problem this is a brilliant film. Tom Hooper has really spent his budget well. For him to go from a small little intimate film like 'The King's Speech' to this grand epic film is simply amazing. On the one had he uses the big sets to great effect and shows off the scale of the story and how epic it is. But on the other hand Tom can get in close for small intimate moments and let you see the emotions of the characters as they bear their souls in song. It lets you know these characters really well so that you feel for them and the journey they are on. It is a real emotional journey that you are on with this film. The songs are very well staged too and Tom makes them feel very rousing and lifts their emotional impact. But as I said before he knows when to scale it down.
The biggest thing about this film is the cast. I have waited so long for Hugh Jackman to make a film that was awards worthy. I think he is quite possibly the most talented performer working today. He is an excellent actor but has not done a film where he is going to get more recognition. Not to say that everyone should make films to win awards, but Hugh is one of those guys that you know could win awards if he chose the right film. I have also seen him perform on stage and he is simply stunning live as well. This is no doubt the best performance he has given on film. It shows him as the truly brilliant actor he is. His singing is amazing and he gives a wonderfully emotional performance. I'm sure he will be recognized this awards season. Going into this film we knew that Anne Hathaway was going to be brilliant in this film, from the excellent teaser trailer. She has proven herself to be an excellent actress in previous film. He know she is good but I think her performance here just takes it to another level. Her role is small but is so amazing that it still has repercussions throughout the rest of the film. I admit that I had my doubts about Russell Crowe. He is an excellent actor but he is not known for his singing so I was a little concerned. My concerns were not founded. Russell is not only a great actor but a great singer too. His singing voice is a little more husky than the rest of the cast but is makes a nice juxtaposition and lends a certain badness to his role as the film's villain. Amanda Seyfried is sweet as the older Cosette but is not big and showy which makes a nice change. Eddie Redmayne makes an excellent romantic hero. He is sure to get recognized for his performance here. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter make a delightful comedy duo. They bring some much needed comedy to the drama of the film and work so well together.
Movie musicals do not always succeed but this one succeeds admirably. You need to see it on the big screen to fully appreciate its beauty. A perfect example of a grand movie musical.
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