Les Miserables – Are You One of Them?

The film revolves around 19th-century France, Jean Valjean, known as Prisoner 24601, a man who has unjustly been condemned to nearly two decades of prison, creates a new life while evading the grip of the persistent and ruthless police inspector Javert after breaking parole. Jean Valjean then agrees to care for a factory worker’s daughter and with that, changes their lives forever.

Generally, the film was genuinely revolutionary and visually astonishing, Les Miserables isn’t just the most ambitious British film ever but it may be the finest. As an individual who is not really into musicals, I approached the film with an open mind and anticipated that the film would be good regardless of the format. Yes, there were times when there were cringe-worthy scenes wherein their lines would switch between singing and speaking, which made me feel a little awkward, however, it is unavoidable to be immersed as well as be fascinated especially since the singing was filmed live, which is goosebump-inducing and impressive.

Plotwise, the film is sensible and relatable. It depicts a lot of instances in life where you have to sacrifice and do something be it good or bad, beneficial or not, just to continue living. A dominant theme in the film was the difference of people in social classes, the less fortunate being treated as garbage and slaves while the wealthy ones are praised and esteemed. Moving on, one particular scene I enjoyed the most or may I say I was completely engrossed was with Eponine. The part where she intercepts Cosette’s letter to Marius so that Marius does not receive it and delivers her dialogue while raining was extremely heartbreaking. The cinematography together with the music was also just right making it more tear-jerking as well as distressing. Éponine is one of the musical’s most beloved characters, she is made to have a more romanticized, sympathetic, likable and relatable presentation of her character which Samantha Barks was able to portray well. In addition to that, my favorite characters in the film were the Thénardier couple, even though they were not the star of the movie and there were only a few scenes where they showed up, they were able to leave an impression and add a bit of humor in the film. Another character I admired was Gavroche, his bravery and strong-willed heart were exceptionally remarkable. This only proves that no matter what happens, keep your faith and believe.

Taken as a whole, my rating for the film Les Miserables would be four point 5 out of 5 (4.5/5). As I have said there were times when I felt uncomfortable because of the switching of lines from speaking to abrupt singing, but it didn’t really matter that much, I still appreciated the film and was impressed. Les Miserables being two-and-a-half hours was just right; it wasn’t too long and nothing felt rushed. Moreover, the music together with the singing was also notable and catchy, some even stuck to my head. Furthermore, the actors/actresses were able to portray their characters very well. Les Miserables is another addition to my favorites, not only is it worthy of watching, but there are a lot of lessons learned along the way. One can say it is action-packed, captivating, compelling, inspiring and beautiful. On the other hand, keep in mind that as you watch the film, try to read between the lines, since there are hidden meanings and symbolisms kept behind the dialogue which makes the movie more fascinating and stunning. Nonetheless, the film is a worthwhile watch and I highly recommend it.