Les Miserables: the review

Les Miserables (the movie) has been out in the movie theaters for a while now and I just found the time recently to see it.  I thought I am familiar with the story line and I just realized after seeing it that I have not actually seen it as a broadway show.  I thought I am familiar with the characters and songs but I just realized that I did not really know the of the songs and the context of how it was sang.

This movie is loaded with big names the like of Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Helena Bonham Carter but it was not the big names that made this such a great movie.  It was their emotions that you can feel in their songs and see in their eyes.   That raw emotion that drilled deep into my soul.  I felt their passion, joy, anger and pain.  Everybody sang beautifully especially Eddie Redmayne when he sang "Empty Chairs and Empty Tables".  That was powerful.  I cried so much that I can not almost breath because my nose was stuffed up.  That was not the only song that moved me.  I also wept when Anne sang "I Dreamed a Dream" and when Hugh sang "Bring Him Home",  "Who Am I" and "Valjean Soliloquy".  And let us not forget the cast singing "Do you Hear the People Sing".  I heard from Hugh's interview that they all sang the songs live when the scenes were filmed.  That was the key why it was so emotionally powerful.  No pre-recored songs being lip synched.  I just now realized how beautiful and brilliant the lyrics of the songs.  If there is one complain I have to make was the singing of Russell Crowe which did not just live up to the strong voices of the other cast.

I love this movie.  I love the songs.  I love the acting.  I love the story of love and courage.   I love the scenes which looked so authentic to the setting.  I love the costumes which added realism to the story.  This is now my fave movie of all times.  5 stars out of 5 stars rating.  A must see and a must buy DVD to add to my collection.