I was always turned off by the concept of an alleged entertainment vehicle calling itself “Les Miserables,” or “The Miserable Ones.” I was right. After screening the film, I found the title to be spot on. It describes precisely where this movie takes you, regardless of what members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, might think.
After more than two hours of lead singers who cannot sing and un-melodic, repetitive numbers screamed at you while you are forced to watch far too many closeups of actors in agony, you will be drawn into the misery as well. Which, I suppose, is fine for full-blown masochists and even those possessed of moderate self-loathing. I am neither, nor do I care to be. I am grateful I followed my instincts and did not pay to see this picture or the stage production, even though on stage, “Les Mis, might provide a completely different feel. Since I haven’t seen it on stage, I don’t know. I do know that a great many people and some critics are in denial about just how bad this movie actually is. It’s just plain awful. It happens sometimes. The music is mediocre and therefore unmemorable, the actors are miscast and it’s way too long. It is bloated and generally offensive. This is what happens when a major studio buys into a project that doesn’t pan out. At some point reality is overtaken by hype and much of the general public is swamped by denial.
Maybe Victor Hugo’s monster 1400 page book “Les Miserables” simply is not meant to be translated for the silver screen. I’m reminded of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s attempt at adapting “Woman in White” from Victorian novel to contemporary musical theater. That didn’t work either, but I went to see it while in London simply because it was Andrew Lloyd Webber, so how bad could it possibly be?
Go see “Hitchcock,” “Silver Linings,” “Argo,” or best of all, “Lincoln.” Don’t bother with “Les Miserables.” Unless you enjoy being miserable. If you must have musical theater, rent a copy of “West Side Story” or “My Fair Lady.” You’ll be reminded of just how good the transformation of musical theater to motion picture can be, when the performers can sing and the music is actually……..there.
I think I’ll wait until it hits YouTube