When Les Misérables is good, it is very, very good, and when it is bad, it’s usually because Russell Crowe has opened his mouth. Among the held-breath gambits Hooper (The King’s Speech) endeavors is his mix-and-match cast of stage veterans, movie stars, and intriguing in-betweens, like anchor Jackman and lesser-known breakouts Samantha Barks (as the lovelorn Éponine) and Eddie Redmayne (as the revolutionary Marius – and if we’re ranking, Redmayne’s spare, gutting take of “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables” could easily claim best-of-show).
I love Anne Hathaway so much! Anne Hathaway fares far better in a justly hyped supporting role as the factory worker turned prostitute Fantine. Her solo “I Dreamed a Dream” is the first significant test case of Hooper’s other big gamble, which was to record his actors performing live, with flat notes and rough edges preserved and not redone in the safe haven of a studio.
All in all, I watched the movie because Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried's in the movie!
Is this a great movie? - YES!
Will I watch it again? - NO.
