Les Miserables Movie Review

I won't call this a review because i don't think i can, so im simply writing to express and also sort out my feelings i feel after watching this it, because it's not everyday a movie can impact my emotions strongly and still leave me aching for it after a couple of days. Directed by Tom Hooper, Les Miserables is my new top-rated misery movie of the year. packed with emotional rides and intense singing, i was hooked because firstly, I admit im a sucker for movies with a theme of suffering. Revolution of a country, unfair treatment to the weak, and a government that controls the people by demeaning the poor and employing the rich, im sure you can see why i fell for it easily.
Les Miserables tells the unfortunate tale of Jean Valjean (played by Hugh Jackman) a poor peasant that was jailed for 19 years for stealing a meagre loaf of bread to help his sister's dying child. When he is finally relesed, he is ordered to report to the local authorities everyday to keep track of his whereabouts. He roams the street with a burning hatred until he meets a priest that offers him a second chance at life. His eyes opened, he vows to turn his life around and be a better person while living for God.
Few years later, he has established himself as mayor of a town and a wealthy man of a factory. Now a man of honour, people respect him and no one knows of his past. That is, until the malovent policeman Javert suddenly appears and offers him his services. Meanwhile, Fantine, a worker at his factory, is found having a daughter and ruthlessly thrown out of the factory with only a few coins to fend for herself. Desperate, she turns to selling off her hair and teeth as well as prostitution for money. Javert confesses his suspiscions that Valjean may be the escaped convict he had been searching for. Valjean denies it but soon confesses when he learns another man has been wrongfully identified as him and taking the blame for his crimes. He stumbles upon Fantine who is ailing and takes her to a hospital but is too late and holds her hand as her last seconds ticks away.
He takes upon a vow to find her daughter, Cosette, and protect her as his own. After paying 1500 francs to the innkeeper couple, he and Cosette begin their new life together. that is when Javert rushes to track him and their long game of cat and mouse begins.

After escaping to Paris, Cosette has grown up into a beautiful young lady and catches the eye of Marius, a young revolutionary student. The one thing i loved about this movie so much is the unending spirit of the people that fight for a lost cause even though they know they will lose.
It speaks about upperclassmen like Marius abandoning his status to fight for more and a passionate love that sparks through the fire of war. it bleeds sacrifice, sacrifice by none other than Valjean himself, as he takes great lengths to protect his beloved Cosette from outside threats as well as his past and elude the ever determined JaverT without killing him.

I think Hugh Jackman was exceptionally brilliant in this movie. if he was already outstanding as Wolverine, Les Miserables has brought him to a greater height of fame. His eyes burned passion as he sang, ok, i forgot the song name but the beginning goes like this- 'What have i done? Sweet Jesus, what have i done?' he admitted he felt guilt at his sins and wanted to repent. he didnt just want to repent, he wanted to start entirely from new.
You could see the veins popping out from his head and the tears in his eyes. This guy was serious. I don't know how the hell can he admit all of the tangle of emotions into a camera. I can't even admit it to myself, more so a camera. This guy deserves praise. He managed to execute perfectly a scene of repentance of a man who has carried hatred of the world inside him for too long. Then we have Anne Hathaway's scene where she sings 'I Dreamed a Dream' and i think everyone has to agree it was a tearjerker. We already felt sorry for her when she lost her beautiful hair and had her teeth painfully yanked from her mouth. When she succumbed to prostitution, the grief on her face was palpable and her pain so physical it struck a chord in my heart.
I believe that was what Hathaway wanted to deliver as Fantine, as she was being stripped of her dignity and condemned as trash. Well, she succeeded. Another Oscar nominee.

Another character that seized my already-aching heart was Enjolras, played by Aaron Tveit. Enjolras is the leader of the revolution that sparked into a war. I specially loved the part where they start singing 'Do you hear the people sing.' Underneath all their suffering is a soul yearning for justice.
Enjolras and his men start the beat first, then slowly, more and more people join in. They realize that they DO have the strength to demand for their rights, in a large group of supporters. Even Gavroche and his group of urchins joined in.
This was a moment of unity, a moment that would mark history for all eternity, an event that would stage their names as heroes that died fighting for their freedom and country.
Speaking of dying, it was a painful moment for me when the soldiers blasted bullets into Enjolras and killed him. He knew death was inevitable, but refused to beg and went out like a hero. He made me love him even more. Watching their last performance as the cast of Les Miserables on youtube, i couldn't help wanting to see more of Aaron because his part was too small, too short! he played a character that had heavy impact in the movie but not many people recognized his contribution.
Enjolras, a character that i will not forget in a long time. I don't think i'll ever be able to see Aaron Tveit playing any other character other than Enjolras. The link for their full erformance at the 2013 Oscars- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXNzCXOpJ10 My least favourite character, was of course Javert. He is a person that blindingly follows the rules and regulations of the court without truly understanding the value of morality. And in the end, when Valjean grants him the ultimate act of kindness by sparing his life not once, but twice, even if its means destruction of his own, it leaves Javert confused. This man, the criminal he has been searching for so long has forgiven him without a trace of vengeance. He begins to question his beliefs and finally concludes that his actions were wrong and he has been the criminal all along. Unable to live with the guilt, he commits suicide by throwing himself off a bridge. Weak man indeed.

I mean, he could've helped Valjean stop the revolution or something. He's the head of the police, for god's sake. How many other can under him can he influence? ? ? Sigh.

The most painful part of the movie, the most tragic, with the perfect acting and right amount of emotion presented, was the ending nearing towards Valjean's death. He was missing Cossete most terribly and Marius, getting the wrong impression that Valjean was an ex-convict, forbade Cosette from seeing too much of her father. This, to me, was unbearably cruel. Valjean is an old and aging man who wants his daughter's company till he dies, as every old man does. And imagine that the 'crime' he committed was stealing a loaf of bread! And with good intentions too.
I cannot forgive Marius for causing such pain to Valjean. Even so, in the end, he died in peace. Fantine came down to soothe his ailing soul, and-and-AND HERE'S THE BEST PART

EVERYONE'S ALIVE!!!!!

Eponine, Enjolras, Gavroche, the entire city- their waving the flags and singing happily like they've just won the war. The ending of this scene just made me want to cry. After all their suffering, fighting and pushing so hard, they've finally seen the light. Death does not mean the end of life, it merely means your suffering on Earth is over. They are now freed of the limitations that governed them on Earth, dying for a righteous cause, for people they've loved and lived for, now they are free. However anyone else chooses to interpret that scene, i believe that they are alive in the skies, perhaps residing in heaven, watching their loved ones on Earth.