‘Les Mis’ delivers a stunning performance

Originally published in The Bona Venture on January 24, 2013.

Image courtesy of impawards.com

Mispronounced by most and adored by seemingly all, “Les Misérables” has been receiving rave reviews and irritating amounts of award buzz. While some claims of it being the greatest movie of all time are a little far-fetched, it proves impressive beyond expectation.

“Les Mis” is chock full of fantastic performances. Best all-around goes to Hugh Jackman (“X-Men”) as Jean Valjean, a prisoner who steals a loaf of bread and becomes involved in an incredibly complicated sequence of events tying into a student revolution in France. With an incredible vocal range and intensity, his Valjean seemed more real and raw than the tradition set by longtime Valjean actor Colm Wilkinson, who made a sentimental cameo as the Bishop in the early portion of the film.

What can be said about Anne Hathaway as Fantine? Perfection. Hathaway (“The Dark Knight Rises”) took advantage of Tom Hooper’s brave “singing live” concept and gave the darkest, most tragically beautiful rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream” ever recorded.

Vocal quality of the ensemble cast as a whole is just as wonderful as a live show, again thanks to the cast singing live. Broadway and West End stars Samantha Barks (Eponine), Eddie Redmayne (Marius Pontemercy) and the entrancing Aaron Tveit (Enjorlas) all dominated their hour of the film, proving that taking a chance on casting stage stars definitely paid off and should be done more often. Musical fans should also note the impressive cameos of Original Broadway cast member Frances Ruffelle and West End hottie Hadley Fraser as Whore #1 and Army Officer, respectively, showing off their talent in their six-line solos.

Other movie musical stars gave memorable character performances, including Amanda Seyfried (“Red Riding Hood”) in an appropriately frail portrayal of Fantine’s daughter Cosette, and “Sweeney Todd” stars Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen as the hilariously conniving Thenardiérs.

Newcomers Isabelle Allen (Young Cosette) and Daniel Huttlestone (Gavroche) fulfilled the adorable quota for the movie, both holding their own against blockbuster film stars and inducing tears during their tragic situations.

To round out the performance aspect, we have the constantly berated Russell Crowe (“Robin Hood”). He wasn’t terrible, but he shouldn’t make his Broadway musical debut anytime soon. While his character approach to Javert brought new grit to the vengeful police captain, it wasn’t all vocally there. He had his moments, especially during “Javert’s Suicide,” but I’m just 99 percent sure no one taught him how to breathe properly or pronounce vowels when he sings.

Production-wise, “Les Mis” is visually stunning. Utilizing some powerful wide shots and an amazingly synchronized opening sequence, it was just as beautiful to look at as it was to listen to, despite some frighteningly intimate close-ups during the powerhouse musical’s darker numbers.

The hair and makeup departments should receive all the awards. For a movie on such an epic scale, the impressive attention to detail had everyone, from the main characters to the background extras, looking like they belonged in 19th-century France; dirt, missing teeth and all. They should also be commended for a very believable aging of Jackman, as Valjean endures 17 years of running and self-discovery. Brava to an Oscar-deserving 24-person hair and makeup team.

Whether you’re a Broadway aficionado or looking for something to see with your $5 movie ticket, “Les Mis” is a must see. Go experience a piece of cinematic history, take in a whole new world and hear the people sing the song of angry men.

‘Les Mis’ looks to bring feels to movie theaters this holiday season

Image courtesy of hypable.com

In 82 days, I will be sitting in a movie theater surrounded by used tissues and empty popcorn buckets, stunned by the power of “Les Miserables.”

Broadway stud and triple threat Hugh Jackman leads one of the greatest star studded casts in the history of movie musicals or even the wider, B-list ridden list of ensemble casted films. Sure, he’s no Colm Wilkinson. No one is, not even the sexy-with-an-endless-range-who-played-every-good-part-in-Phantom-and-Les-Mis Ramin Karimloo. But that man has passion, fueling his Oscar buzz-ridden Jean Valjean. Hearing him go for that majorly beautiful high B at the end of “Who Am I?” is easily one of the most anticipated musical moments of 2012.

It makes it all the more worth it when we know it’s real.

As you may have heard by now, director Tom Hooper’s and producer Cameron Mackintosh’s combined genius resulted in the first movie musical in history where the actors will sing live.

The idea is daring and brilliant, and from the emotional clips sprinkled into the sparsely released interviews during the last few weeks, it’s definitely going to pay off.

Sure, an argument could be made about how it’s a money-grabber only used to get people in the seats or the producers and sound mixers will still edit the sound to direct it toward perfection.

One look at the only released theatrical trailer for the film would surely disintegrate those assumptions. Just take a minute to close your eyes and listen to Anne Hathaway’s heartbreaking, “I Dreamed a Dream.”

It’s not perfect, and that’s why this movie is worth seeing. Hathaway described her unconventional and smart reasoning behind her vocal decisions in the Sept. 20 extended look video released by Official Regal Movies.

“There seemed to be something selfish about going for the pretty version,” she said.

Somebody give that woman an Oscar.

While Amanda Seyfried and Russell Crowe, as Fantine’s daughter Cosette and police inspector Javert, respectively, have big, range-y shoes to fill in their leading roles, the casting director mixed the Hollywood stars with some very promising stage actors. The list includes Aaron Tveit as the vocally sexy and passionate student Enjorlas, Eddie Redmayne as the lovestricken Marius and Samantha Barks as young and brassy Eponine. With Barks’ song, “On My Own,” as a dominant icon of the show, made popular to the general public by Lea Michele on the pilot of “Glee,” fans of the 1985 musical rejoiced when, thanks to some form of divine intervention, the role would not be butchered by the monotonously adorable Taylor Swift.

Without having to worry about full chapters of a book and key plot points and characters being cut from the film adaptation of a project (cough, cough HARRY POTTER), I am more excited to see Les Mis than any other film ever released.

There’s no glitzy dance routines or Singin’ In the Rain type lip dubbing to ruin one of the greatest musicals of all time. Everyone is going to sing and I am going to cry, and, the day after Christmas, all will be right with the world.