by “To love another person is to see the face of God.”
For nearly 30 years, fans have been flocking to the theaters and experiencing over three hours of heartbreak, injustice and redemption before hearing what has become one of the most famous lines in musical history.
And for nearly that long, the powers that be have attempted time and again to recreate the magic on the big screen. Now, the movie adaptation is finally out…so was it worth the wait?
I say yes. While some reviews of director Tom Hooper‘s vision have been critical, I think the sweeping landscape shots and grimy, exposed underbelly of France enhanced what sometimes suffers as a “too neat, too tidy” musical.
Anne Hathaway‘s glowing reviews are well deserved; she is incredible as the tragic Fauntine. Seldom has such angst and ugly pain been presented on film to the point you want to turn away from the screen, if not for the sheer beauty of the authenticity. Hathaway’s tales of self-deprivation and misery to prepare for her role are probably the best examples of suffering for one’s art since Marilyn Manson descended into an abyss of torture, divestiture of sleep, and mind-altering drug use in order to create his masterpiece, Antichrist Superstar.
Hugh Jackman also proves why his forays into Broadway have been so successful. The guy can sing.
Russell Crowe‘s performance is a bit of a paradox. Surrounded by better singers, Crowe relies on his physical presence to convey the complex character of Javert. As a result, some of the intensity and inner turmoil of the character is lost. Also, the director pulls back on Javert’s performances in an attempt to accommodate Crowe’s limitations, and his character suffers all the more. He by no means ruins the movie, and holds his own (and then some). I guess the best way to put it is that the others sing well enough that they were free to focus on the anguish of their characters; Crowe has to focus on delivering every note rather than what it is he is singing.
Another small criticism: I always felt that “Turning,” the piece that the women sing as they clean the blood from the streets following the final battle, was cut short too soon in the musical. The harmonizing is beautiful, and the song had the potential to be one of the most impactful moments in the entire production…but it’s potential is wasted. In the movie, instead of giving the song the attention it deserves, it is cut even further, to just a few lines.
But the pros definitely outweigh the cons, and with stunning visuals, raw performances, and intensity rarely seen in musicals, the Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Jackman), Best Supporting Actress (Hathaway), Best Song, and Best Makeup, Design, Production and Sound Mixing are justified and meritable.
For those fans of the musical critical of the movie, I think they are comparing apples and oranges to some extent. Less polished than the musical (the decision to have the actors sing live rather than lip-sync fits perfectly with the tone of the film), it is not as easy movie to watch at times, but the exposed, often unpleasant emotion makes it all the more rewarding.
Check out “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” from the musical here.
