The movie version of the hit musical Les Miserables can best be d
escribed as a traffic jam. Why? Because when the movie hits its stride and proceeds at full speed it reminds of you of how Les Mis can be brilliant and uplifting. However, when the movie is slow, it’s painfully slow and loses focus on its message: man’s enduring humanity.
Full disclosure: Les Mis has never been one of my favorite musicals. Despite having some great songs, catchy lyrics and an uplifting message, I always felt the show was too long. Regardless, having seen the show on Broadway, the 25th anniversary tour and read the original Victor Hugo novel, I feel justified to be in a position to critique the movie.
The overall problem with the movie is it’s uneven pace and loss of focus on the story of Jean Val Jean towards the middle and end of the movie. Director Tom Hooper did a wonderful job of not cutting any characters from the stage show, however many of the transition scenes/music/lyrics have been cut and that poses a great problem to the movie. On stage those scenes helped to move the action along. Part of the problem in cutting those lyrics is that those scenes now move at a glacial pace.
The biggest casualty of the film’s uneven tempo is the ultimate loss of Val Jean’s message: To love another person is to see the face of God. In its purest form, the stage show and original Victor Hugo novel is about man’s humanity and struggle to do what is good and just. Somehow, somewhere, Les Mis lost that message in its jump from stage to screen.
The production team behind Les Mis must be credited for not only translating this epic musical to the big screen, but retaining many of the set and costumes designs from the iconic original London and New York productions. Further credit most also be given to Hugh Jackman (Val Jean), Anne Hathaway (Fantine), Sacha Baron Cohen (Thernadier) and Helena Bonham Carter (Madame Thernadier) for being outstanding in their roles.
However, none of these big name stars can help the movie when it arrives at the slow parts (of which there are many). Fans of the stage show and the book will not be disappointed. Overall, the movie retains much of what made the musical an internal phenomenon. Turning stage musicals into movies is hard and I don’t envy anyone who tries. I just wish however that they would be more even in their pace, because while I loathe traffic on the highway, I especially loathe it in the theater.
Les Mis is currently touring the United States, playing in London’s West End and still in theaters. For tickets to these productions please visit: http://www.lesmis.com/
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