Les Miserables (2012)Movie Reviews


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  • Oh No!
    Written December 26, 2012

    Les Miserables

    by

    This just did not work. If you are a fan of this musical then you will not like this movie. The actors barely sing the songs. The best cinematography is in the trailer. The rest is not interesting. The natural camera movements and music video fast editing made me angry. This is an embarrassing mess.

    • 10 out of 14 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written December 26, 2012

    True to Broadway production

    by czakemerick

    A superb production of the stage musical. Makes it more personal and meaningful. The live singing performances are awesome and bring tears to your eyes. For a major Les Miserables fan it is THE BEST! Oscar worthy for Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway and for Best Picture! Will definetly see it again!

    • 9 out of 12 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written December 26, 2012

    Les Miserables

    by kathied924

    After seeing the Broadway play twice, I was hoping that the film would capture my heart as well. And it did. Remembering that it is a time piece, it showed the wretchedness of France in the 1800's, the suffering of the people under a horrible government, and the hopefulness in the hearts of the people for a better life one day. Each character is totally unique, the singing is beautiful, and I found this movie to be emotionally unforgettable. Ann Hathaway is deserving of any award for which she is nominated. The difference between the play and the movie??? The movie brings the characters face to face -- you see the pain, the anquish, the heartbreak, and the hope. I loved it. It will truly stay my favorite. Thank you Victor Hugo for putting this story to paper. And thanks to Claude-Michel Schönberg for the music, Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel for the French lyrics, and Herbert Kretzmer for the English adaptation. It is truly a work of art.

    • 8 out of 10 found this review helpful.
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  • Go
    Written December 27, 2012

    Excellent Performances by all except....

    by NAM0862

    Les Miserables is a most poignant story. The demand for vocal acuity in this film is imperative for the viewer to remain engaged and feel the emotional valeur. The performances were great, unfortunately, I found Crowe's inability to sing to distract me from the story as well as detach myself from feeling any sympathy for this character. Jackman's vocals were only slightly better that of Crowe's, and if these two characters were casted by two men that have the ability to sing, I would have enjoyed the movie that much more.

    As for Hathaway, her performance brought tears to my eyes - she is absolutely lovely.
    In fact, all other characters sang wonderfully and with such passion - I was enthralled
    Aside from the poor singing by both Crowe and Jackman, the movie is wonderful and entertaining but I will not watch it again because of these two actors - I will instead read the book by Victor Hugo.

    • 8 out of 10 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written December 26, 2012

    Seen the play 3 times, movie is ...

    by sharonewing

    spectacular and drew me in every second, even though it is 2 1/2 hrs in length. Must go again, and again. This movie is beautiful as it portrays the lives of the characters. I wanted to see it again immediately... hubby said no, wait a few days.

    The acting, directing, cinematography, writing should all be selected for awards. Maybe the Best Movie Ever.

    • 7 out of 8 found this review helpful.
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  • Oh No!
    Written December 26, 2012

    Not disappointed

    by windx15

    Went to see Les Mis without great expectations. I was not disappointed. Way, way too long. I could not believe that was Hugh Jackman singing. Where did his voice go??? I did believe that was Russell Crowe singing, because he is not a singer!!!! He is an actor. Was it not possible to find a singer and an actor in one body?????? Ann Hathaway was fantastic. Too bad she was gone in the first 30 minutes. Yes, cinematography was beautiful. Yes it was an epic. Yes, if you loved the play, you will love the movie, all 2hours and 37 minutes of it. Sorry not to be on the Les Mis bandwagon. It's back to my old favorite Phantom of the Opera movie today to help me try to forget yesterday's disaster. SK

    • 17 out of 28 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written December 25, 2012

    Great supplement to the musical

    by MrNobody

    First of all, I have to agree with the previous reviewer that this is more of a film version of the famous 1980s musical instead of the original novel by Victor Hugo.

    With that in mind, I'd say this film is a great supplement to the musical. My wife is a huge fan of musicals, so she actually brought me to see the musical at Kennedy Center last year when it was the last stop of its 2012 US tour. I loved it, but it was a pitty that we could not afford to sit at better seats. Sound was great, the singing was great, but I could not see the acting and the settings in details because it was too darn far away (we paid ~100 for one ticket still).

    This movie actually filled that unfortunate pity of my musical experience. With less than 10% of the musical ticket price, the movie gave me full details of the 1830s France, when and where all the characters were and the story took place. It offered me the additional visionary effects to complete my own imagination and vision.

    • 18 out of 30 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written January 3, 2013

    Les Miserables

    by shelly_rose66

    Definately a "must go". A most amazing production. Others have complained about the use of actors as singers as opposed to the usual use of singers as actors but, to me, the imperfections in the vocals added a touch of humanity and realism to the film.

    • 6 out of 7 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written December 26, 2012

    Les Miserables

    by tdbowen812

    Although the movie theater was full, I had never been in such a quiet, still environment. We were all awestruck. This was not a movie, it was an experience. We laughed. We cried. The beauty of it all. At the ending, the audience gave it a standing ovation!

    • 7 out of 9 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written December 26, 2012

    Awesome!

    by dannypants

    Jackman and Hathaway are exquisite! Seyfried and Redmayne outstanding! The acting shining through the singing was so great that it almost (almost) doesn't seem weird that people are communicating through song rather than spoken word. You really FEEL Hathaway's despair. Crowe? His acting is great, but his singing is merely satisfactory. He'd be great in a rock musical (having been a rock star in Australia before acting), but his voice isn't strong enough for the nearly operatic notes that he sometimes strains to reach. I mean he wasn't BAD like Pierce Brosnan in Mama Mia. It was a solid vocal performance, just not stellar. Anyway, even with some of the very minor roles, the voices were strong enough to play leads! And the sets were spectacular! You're transported to 19th century France! Very gritty and murky. This is the best movie musical I've seen since Chicago. Between the closeups and the recorded live track you almost feel like you're there!

    • 6 out of 7 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written December 28, 2012

    Les Miserables

    by skqroo

    I've seen the Bdwy. prod. 3 times, and played in the pit of a community prod. However, the movie turned into THE MOST moving and easiest to understand the in-depth storyline of all! The grandeur of the set gave more supportive background info necessary to understand the peoples' trials of the time. When you see it live you might read the synopsis before each act, but then when 9 -15 years go by, you might be caught off guard, and confused momentarily. The movie's transitions were more clear. The cinematography was awesome and varied: including pull aways, zoom in's, and action camera's running through the streets as characters. Acting was some of the most superb I can ever remember! Much had to do with the director's choice to have the singing be done LIVE in the filming! NOTHING like it before!! NOT meant for small children: length and dark story! If this doesn't win BEST PICTURE I'll quit caring about the OSCARS! It's EPIC! Russell Crow was weak as Javert (ONLY complaint)

    • 7 out of 9 found this review helpful.
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  • So-so
    Written December 26, 2012

    A Valiant Effort

    by ilovemusicals99

    I have to preface this review by saying I am a huge fan of this musical. It is my absolute favorite, and I have seen it countless times on tour, on Broadway and regionally-big theaters and small. The film reminded me of one of my favorite staged productions which was in a small theater in the round. Hard to imagine if you have not seen it, but being so close to the actors and in such an intimate setting provided a much more intense experience emotionally. The film succeeds on this level, with the right amount of agnst and emotion, particularly in Hathaway's big number, "I Dreamed A Dream", and Redmayne's "Empty Chairs at Empty Tables". Not a dry eye in the house. Where the film was less successful was in the rest of its casting. Big names sell movies, but did Les Miserables need this when millions upon millions world-wide have seen and love this show? Crowe was awful, Jackman strained, Seyfried-why? Also, where was the gorgeous score? It never seemed to get off the ground.

    • 10 out of 15 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written January 2, 2013

    Excellent adaptation from the theater version!

    by kmichalec

    I'm just a casual fan of Les Mis (my wife is the fanatic), but I really enjoyed this movie. I personally felt that I picked up so much more about the story this time around vs the few times I've seen it on stage. The reason is I , was able to see the characters up close, and see the action in greater detail on the big screen. Because of this, I really felt like I was there, and understood the characters range of emotions on a more personal level, compare to sitting 40 rows back at the stage version and not being able to see the detail as well.

    The sets are amazing, the songs are very well true to the theatrical versions, and overall, the entire production is very moving. Yes, I'm a guy, and not embarrassed to say that I did tear up a number of times (never really did that in the theater versions).

    Definitely glad I went to see this, and would consider seeing it again. Go see it, even if the theater version isn't your thing. You won't be disappointed.

    • 7 out of 9 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written December 28, 2012

    Different format/different interpretation

    by whitewater0628

    It's amazing how differently the same story comes across when presented in a different format. I've read the book, seen the play and now the movie. Each has something unique to offer. The story is compelling in any genre, and while I personally enjoyed the roadshow the best, I did enjoy the movie. I think the movie actors who are cinema professionals did an outstanding job with the character portrayals. I thought Anne Hathaway especially brought a depth of character to Fontine that you wouldn't find in the roadshow. With Russell Crowe as Jabert, he came across as much more human than the strict "legal automaton" that one usually imagines. That said, the road show are cast not only for their acting abilities, but for their voices. If you are expecting the same quality of musicianship, you might be a little disappointed. It's a trade, but again, one worthy of making. I think the best thing about the movie is that it brings the timeless story of "Les Mis" to the masses.

    • 7 out of 9 found this review helpful.
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  • Must Go!
    Written January 13, 2013

    Sacrificial Love

    by ConnieFudge

    Mercy and Grace and the giving up of "self" for others. A sorely needed message in today's world. Beautiful, inspiring music! Excellent cast! Go...be inspired!

    • 5 out of 5 found this review helpful.
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Les Miserables (2012) Movie Reviews + Ratings

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Russwarne Tony opening number just finished. I'm not the only one who hated the constant closeups of the "Les Mis" movie. #lesmis #tonyawards

10 days ago.

leahbob95 Just finished this movie. It was called like, "Less Miserables" or something. #lesmis

12 days ago.

PyneAlex I rented the Les Mis. movie tonight and it was AMAZING!!! Phantom's still my favorite musical though. #lesmis

12 days ago.

Emily_Longtin there was conflict in my house over whether to watch a movie for d-day or barricade day. Of course, Barricade Day won out. #LesMis

13 days ago.

peytonjim Amazing, acting in the Les Mis 10th Anniv concert was so much better than the dogs breakfast movie. No, can't treat them separately #lesmis

13 days ago.

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