Les Miserables

Les Miserables (2012) starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried. This movie was a big disappointment. Of course, I've listened to the London stage  production soundtrack for years, so my expectations were that this film would measure up. Unfortunately, it doesn't. Director Tom Hooper's decision to record the actors as they sing just doesn't work. Crowe and Seyfried, in particular, don't seem to have the chops to sing in a musical, while Jackman is just passable. Also, a lot of detail had to be left out to get the film to a watchable length, and the plot suffers because of it. And yet ... despite my criticisms, the movie did bring me close to tears a couple of times, especially in Valjean's (Jackman) death scene. All in all, I can't recommend this film. (Subtitles for the hearing-impaired are offered, but not closed captions.) Grade: C+