"Les Misérables" (2012)
By: Erin Huang-Schaffer
Les Misérables, the new film adaption of the 1980s musical, was as incredible as I expected it to be. While there were some lagging parts, the film was saved by the strong acting of Anne Hathaway (as Fantine) and Hugh Jackman (Jean Valjean), as well as Amanda Seyfried's (Cosette) angelic singing, and the comic relief of Helena Bonham Carter (Madame Thénardier) and Sacha Baron Cohen (Thénardier).
And let's not forget to give credit to the tender, lovestruck performance by Samantha Barks, reprising her role as Éponine from on stage, and Eddie Redmayne for his equally emotional performance as Marius.
Even though Hathaway's vulnerable rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" in the film trailer was enough to make me excited for the film's release, I didn't get the full impact of just how much Hathaway has grown as an actress until I saw the film. This was the finest performance I have ever seen her do.
Hathaway and Jackman combined acting and singing to heart-wrenching perfection. I really do hope to see more movie musicals do live-recorded singing in the future, after the success of Les Misérables and Across the Universe (2007).
Still, I felt that the movie's weak point came from Russell Crowe's performance as Inspector Javert. As this is a sung-through musical, meaning all of the dialogue is sung, the actors are not only asked to sing, but to act simultaneously.
Crowe gave a bland, wooden performance, and while his singing voice was melodic at best, it lacked the sustain (i.e. when a vocalist holds a very long note) and emotion that he needed to hold the audience's attention. His strongest number was when he was singing a solo on a rooftop, vowing to find Jean Valjean.
On another note, the film obtained a grittiness that I don't think has ever been seen on stage. The shocking deaths, as well as the comically grotesque take (reminiscent of the 2007 film adaption of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) on "Master of the House" were mildly difficult to watch at times.
While I can clearly see the amazing quality of the film and respect it for that, I couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed. I know they were going for an ensemble film, and trying to give every wonderful actor the screen time they deserved, but I just wanted to see Hathaway the whole time.
There's a reason why Barbra Streisand took up all of the screen time in 1968's Funny Girl. The movie would have failed if there had been a single section of it without its true star. An ensemble doesn't work if not all of the other main actors live up to or compliment the performance of the stand-out actor.
Les Misérables is certain to win awards and undoubtably deserving of acclaim, but it's not perfect. Luckily imperfection is something I can live with. And I'll be squealing with joy when Anne wins her Oscar.
And let's not forget to give credit to the tender, lovestruck performance by Samantha Barks, reprising her role as Éponine from on stage, and Eddie Redmayne for his equally emotional performance as Marius.
Even though Hathaway's vulnerable rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream" in the film trailer was enough to make me excited for the film's release, I didn't get the full impact of just how much Hathaway has grown as an actress until I saw the film. This was the finest performance I have ever seen her do.
Hathaway and Jackman combined acting and singing to heart-wrenching perfection. I really do hope to see more movie musicals do live-recorded singing in the future, after the success of Les Misérables and Across the Universe (2007).
Still, I felt that the movie's weak point came from Russell Crowe's performance as Inspector Javert. As this is a sung-through musical, meaning all of the dialogue is sung, the actors are not only asked to sing, but to act simultaneously.
Crowe gave a bland, wooden performance, and while his singing voice was melodic at best, it lacked the sustain (i.e. when a vocalist holds a very long note) and emotion that he needed to hold the audience's attention. His strongest number was when he was singing a solo on a rooftop, vowing to find Jean Valjean.
On another note, the film obtained a grittiness that I don't think has ever been seen on stage. The shocking deaths, as well as the comically grotesque take (reminiscent of the 2007 film adaption of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street) on "Master of the House" were mildly difficult to watch at times.
While I can clearly see the amazing quality of the film and respect it for that, I couldn't help feeling slightly disappointed. I know they were going for an ensemble film, and trying to give every wonderful actor the screen time they deserved, but I just wanted to see Hathaway the whole time.
There's a reason why Barbra Streisand took up all of the screen time in 1968's Funny Girl. The movie would have failed if there had been a single section of it without its true star. An ensemble doesn't work if not all of the other main actors live up to or compliment the performance of the stand-out actor.
Les Misérables is certain to win awards and undoubtably deserving of acclaim, but it's not perfect. Luckily imperfection is something I can live with. And I'll be squealing with joy when Anne wins her Oscar.