My thoughts on the movie
Direction -
I think it was directed as best as this movie can be for the general audience. The pacing is quick, but I personally liked it. Don't think there was anything grand or special about it though. I'm happy he didn't over-serious the movie or make it cut your wrists depressing; it was filmed with the proper dignity.
Cinematography -
Just gotta get it out of the way, the majority of all the uber up-close shots were bad and it rarely worked. Most of the time it worked to the actors' disadvantages. Other than that, the framing was very hit or miss. I could do with less Dutch angles and the framing in some scenes was just off. I really liked the exterior shots of France though.
Music -
I'll go on about each actor in their sections. The music/score as a whole I felt wasn't grand enough for the musical it is. It wasn't cheap sounding, but I found it overly underwhelming personally. It needed more umph to it. I'm sure someone will say the actors voices are supposed to be the standout performances in the music, and I get that, but I disagree it had to be the way it was for all the music. Didn't really care much for
Suddenly either. Just felt kind of tacked on.
Script -
I wasn't disappointed that it wasn't fully sung dialogue, I felt the added dialogue wasn't jarring, it moved the plot along as much as the lyrics, and I appreciated some of the lyrics switched to not being sung. I will say though, I found it off that a lot of lyrics were switched around for no discernible reason; It honestly felt like those times in live theater where an actor messes up a line and another makes up for it. I notice it happen in the Preist's silver giving lyrics and Lovely Ladies mainly.
Hugh Jackman -
I'll just flat out say it. I wasn't happy with him in the role. He wasn't horrible or anything, but he just was not right for the role vocally. In fact his singing was overly nasal, especially in the higher parts; it was too raw. The uber-close up shots of him were very off-putting as well as he seemed to only be able to pull off a couple of facial expressions in some of his songs(
Who Am I the first time, particularly). I also felt he butchered
Bring Him Home. Other than his singing, I will say he did a good job acting as Valjean, though at times he seemed a bit going through the motions and not bringing much of his own to the role.
Russel Crowe -
Bad choice vocally for the role. I'm not gonna say he can't sing, I do detect his ability to hold a note, but Javert clearly was not meant to be sung with Crowe's voice. With that said, he acted the hell out of the role, and I'm not a big fan of him.
Anne Hathaway -
Amazing, beautiful, one of if not the strongest performer of the movie. I still have minor issues with her voice, but she was Fantine in and out. It was heartbreaking seeing the whole dock series of events, and ending with the sailor in the boat. I was thrown off a bit at her
I Dreamed A Dream as it sounded a lot stronger and more emotional than in the trailer where I thought maybe they recorded two different versions, but I think Hathaway was just that good. I still would have preferred a bit less vibrato and more belting, but nothing to discount her performance.
Eddie Redmayne -
Pleasantly surprised with his singing voice, it was a lot richer than I expected. He had similar issues to Jackman when it came to the uber-close up shots, I really think it only worked to his benefit with
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables. It was a pretty great performance for what I find to be a semi-boring character.
Amanda Seyfried -
Her vibrato needs to die. Other than that, she was what I expected. I find Cosette's character semi-boring as well. I mean I know she's the poster girl, and one of the story's main driving plots, but I think compared to the rest of the characters, she's the least interesting of the 9-10 of them.
Samantha Barks -
Beautiful, heartbreaking, raw; So happy with everything she did.
On My Own, while not performed as belty as usual, was great. Barks really portrayed the longing for Marius better than I anticipated. I also appreciated a new look of what Eponine would be doing during
One Day More. Also her time at the barricade, I really felt she matured in a short time; all other times I've seen a performance, the actress always played it like she still has a chance with Marius, but here I felt she accepted that Marius was going to be all about Cosette but will continue to be one of the best friends he's ever had. I also liked [blackout]how she was shot at the barricade.[/blackout] Was a lot more emotional and part of why I felt she grew as a character. [blackout]Was sad but understood the replacement of her part in the finale with Valjean and Fontine.[/blackout] I hope to see Barks in more movies soon.
Randomness, I was surprised how tight they got that corset on her; not to compare her to the horrid Megan Fox, but it literally made me think of Fox in
Jonah Hex every time I saw it.
Aaron Tveit -
First; Yummy. Second; Brought exactly what I expected to the role. Had a tough, hardass semi-badass vibe to him, and I loved how intense he played his loyalties to the Revolution. Most times I've seen it performed, the actor either came off as dickish, unrelatable, and/or overly suave. The seriousness that Tveit brought and his last stand with Grantaire, I just loved it.
Sascha Baron Cohen & Helena Bonham Carter -
They just get a big meh from me. Cohen sleep-walked through the role and Carter was Mrs. Lovett-lite. I did appreciate how the
Master of the House Reprise was performed/filmed, I was happy it wasn't some dancey ball thing. The first
Master of the House though....it just didn't have the fun factor to me. I just think they should have been a bit more animated in their roles. I understand Hooper was going the serious route, but even in the serious world, there are animated characters.
Daniel Huttlestone and Isabelle Allen -
This is how you utilize child actors. Both were awesome in their respective roles as Gavroche and young Cosette; both sang beautifully, they escaped becoming the annoying useless kid syndrome most movies with kids have. Gavroche in particular could have came off as the worst character, but Huttlestones performance gave it such heart and soul, where you definitely felt for him at the barricade and with Javert's badge.
Overall, I think it could have been a hell of a lot better, however, I am happy with the final product. I'm amazed at how much was accomplished and how many details from the book managed to get in. I may not have enjoyed it fully, but the production definitely felt like everyone put their all into it good or bad, save for one actor.
I give it a 7.5 / 10
. But I'd cringe if every musical that's going to be made from here on out decided to follow Les Miz with the live singing.
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