Les Misérables

Time to tackle the film adaptation of the beloved musical. I watched the historical fiction drama musical movie Les Misérables, released on December 25, 2012. Directed by Tom Hooper, it is based on the 1980 theater musical of the same name, as well as the original 1862 book of the same name. Starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway, it takes place in France during 1815, 1823, and 1832.

A man named Jean Valjean is given a lengthy prison sentence when he steals bread to save his nephew’s life. Afterwards, he has trouble living his life as he is met with distrust. He ends up deciding to dedicate himself to a moral life, breaking his parole to do so. He ultimately agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s daughter Cosette. However, police inspector Javert is off to pursue him, believing in strict adherence to the law. When Cosette falls for Marius Pontmercy, who is involved in a revolution against the monarchy, Valjean joins the fight. Can Valjean ever be free of his past?

Ever since the Les Misérables musical was created, it has had a large impact on popular culture. It is one of the most beloved musicals, it gets parodied, and it introduces more people to the story. This film, which was an adaptation of the musical more than the book, had all sorts of different opinions from those who watched it. I am here to give my opinion. I will start by talking about the actors’ performances and singing. Hugh Jackman portrays both the conflict and humanity in Jean Valjean. He does succeed as a character you feel for, with his singing being endearing. Russell Crowe as Javert is the worst part of this movie. Unlike the other actors, he is emotionless in his role as a character who is supposed to be a sympathetic villain. On top of that, his singing is terrible as he does not match the vocal tones you would expect from a musical they show on stage. Anne Hathaway as Fantine, by comparison, is the best part of this movie. She has a very emotional character that you instantly feel sorry for. Her singing of the “I Dreamed a Dream” song is probably the best done moment in the film. Amanda Seyfried as Cosette effectively portrays the symbol of hope in this emotional ride. While I found the character both on stage and in the movie to be the one uninteresting character, she is still done well with her kind and innocent personality. As such, she has the most pure singing. Eddie Redmayne as Marius Pontmercy represents a young man caught in a difficult situation while also being connected to the hope Cosette brings. His singing is quite grand. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as Monsieur Thénardier and Madame Thénardier provide entertainment as the secondary villains. They bring comedic moments with their singing. Samantha Barks as Éponine gives emotion as being the unwanted one in Cosette and Marius’s relationship. She also gives emotion to her singing. Aaron Tveit as Enjolras shows power and leadership in the revolution. His singing is grand like Eddie Redmayne. Daniel Huttlestone as Gavroche manages to be determined for their cause despite being a child. The same energy is in his singing. Despite Russell Crowe’s performance and singing, I feel that everyone else nails it. This movie had them do the singing live, which was another aspect people were split on, but I liked the style and think it worked in film. These versions of the songs sung in the musical I feel are represented in a respectful way, with a new song called “Suddenly” added that I feel is a great song too.

As for the storytelling, they get much across. While theater is certainly a visual style, movies have way more visuals to use. Because of this, they are able to emphasize the conflicts more. Seeing poor people suffering in the streets is more effective when we can actually see more of that suffering. I also feel that the way the movie is shot allows us to feel the emotions of scenes. There is much commentary on social issues, from the suffering of the poor to the flaws of the criminal justice system. While I have never read the book, I have seen the musical. I feel they did a good job keeping it mostly faithful, while having differences that work to the story’s advantage. This is a story that has so much emotion that leaves you feeling sorry for the characters, but also inspires hope for a better tomorrow. You may end up feeling depressed or hopeful by the end. I feel they knew what to do to bring this story to the big screen.

Overall, my view of this movie is that it was an amazing accomplishment. Russell Crowe can be distracting, but that in no way takes away from everything that they did right. While this movie may not be for everyone, I think that several fans of the musical will not be disappointed by the result.

This movie which takes place in the 1800s had the characters suffering in the streets because they are poor. Sadly, this is still the case in 2025. I believe we can do something about this. You can donate money to charities and food pantries. You can volunteer at or support places that help the poor. Examples include supporting local charities like All God’s Children and Together We Cope. You can raise awareness for those who may not be educated on the topic, which can remove some of the stigma of being poor. You can educate yourself on the causes of poverty so you can know how to put a stop to it. You can advocate for change, like through a protest. We just might be able to eliminate poverty with your help.