Favorite Things 2012 - Movie Edition Part Two

Now then, where was I? Ah yes, movies. Last night I went to see "Les Miserables," and I would be totally and utterly shocked if Anne Hathaway doesn't win many, many awards, up to and including the Oscar, for her performance as the doomed Fantine. Seriously, what an amazing job she did with such a tiny amount of screen time. "I Dreamed a Dream" is always sung in such a pretty way (and I know since I sang it years and years ago at my Senior Showcase in high school. Sang it wearing a gorgeous, emerald green vintage prom dress, which is SO Fantine. Ha!) but Hathaway sings it in such a raw and visceral way that I don't know if I can ever hear it sung "pretty" again. That's the way it is supposed to sound. She just shaved her head, she just allowed her own teeth to be pulled out, she was just raped...it's not a pretty story so it shouldn't be a pretty song. I had to swallow down sobs in order to be able to hear the whole thing.

And then there's Hugh Jackman. Wow. He is an actor who I think has always been taken for granted. He is gorgeous and built like a god so he has always played action heroes. Sure, he won a Tony for the musical "The Boy from Down Under", but I don't think Hollywood cares all that much about Tony awards. And so to see him in this role of a lifetime, baring his soul with every note he sings, every movement of his body, every look he gives, was nothing short of a revelation. I would also be very surprised if he does not pick up wheelbarrows full of awards for his performance as Jean Valjean. And he will deserve every single one of them.

So now we come to Russell Crowe as Javert...he is really receiving a critical drubbing for his performance and I can honestly see why. However, having said that, I don't think I agree with it. If "Les Miserables" was a comedy, Javert would be the straight man and the straight man is frequently overlooked. Crowe is most certainly not as strong a singer as Jackman, but then again, neither is Hathaway. He did look wooden next to the other actors, but is that his acting or his acting choice? I think it was the latter. Javert is so fully devoted to his job, to the law, that for them there is no grey; there is only black and white. While everyone around him is frequently overcome by emotion, he does not have that luxury. He is the law. He does not have time for emotion. And so, when he at last confronts himself and realizes what a truly good man Valjean is, he loses himself. He is overcome with emotion and for Javert, that signifies weakness, a great weakness that he cannot abide within himself. And so, he kills himself. Besides the gut-wrenchingly emotional performances given by just about everyone else, of course Crowe looks wooden, but I think it was a character decision, not an acting flaw. 

My husband and I are HUGE Les Mis fans and so it was so exciting to finally see this movie and it did not disappoint. A wonderful adaptation, one that should and hopefully will win many awards, and one that I know we will watch again and again and again. And in the solitude of our home, we can finally sing along!!!