Years ago I saw Les Mis on a school trip to London, England. I even want to say that Colm Wilkinson was playing the lead still, but I can't recall for certain. We got last minute seats and so I we were in the sixth balcony of this huge theatre, and even through shared binoculars the actors seemed like ants on the stage. Needless to say outside of some great music I didn't really enjoy the experience as it was less than ideal. So that was a great place to enter into seeing the film - my expectations weren't really anything.
This is a really great story - it's epic in scope and yet small and personal. The performances are fantastic and arguably flawless in some areas. Tom Hooper made a solid choice to film the ballads in mostly unbroken medium shots and it's inspired and beautiful - really allowing a true performance - and none is more perfect and heart-breaking than Anne Hathaway's. I'm not an oscar-whore, nor do I take much stock in them, but if she doesn't get some recognition for her supporting role then it's a damn shame, I say. Jackman is pretty great but I have to say that role isn't all that exciting to me - the stand-out male role goes to Russel Crowe as the complicated and conflicted officer of the law. What happens to him is heart-breaking in a very bizarre way. I want to say a lot more, but I won't and will leave that for you to discover.
If you like musicals of epic scope you'll dig this. I did find it a touch long in some spots - and some of the sing-songy dialogue I could have done without - give me a proper song and music or just speak dialogue, I say!
But all in all, a hell of a show well done! See it on the big screen with the big sound if you're going to see it at all.
