Faithful and Epic
Les Misérables Reaches Masses

In case you haven't been informed, the new production of Les Misérables is not a film adaptation of the Broadway musical. There is no singing. For some, like me, who have been dying to see the musical this may be an initial disappointment. For others, it may be a relief. Either way, I want to encourage you to set such expectations aside and go see this film.

Les Misérables, adapted from the heavy tome by Victor Hugo, is the story of a Frenchman named Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson) who was jailed for stealing a loaf of bread. Nineteen years later, after his release, he nearly returns to his life of crime only to be saved by the trust of a kindly bishop. The bishop, in return for helping Valjean, asks that the man lead a good life and help others.

Nine years later, Valjean is the mayor of a small community and loved by the people. Everything is good there until the town's new police inspector arrives. Valjean recognizes Inspector Javert (Geoffery Rush) as one of the guards from the prison and fears that the truth about his past may be revealed.

Also entering the story at this point is Fantine (Uma Thurman), a worker in Valjean's factory who is fired when it is discovered that she has a child out of wedlock. Unable to care for her daughter and work, Fantine has sent her beloved Cosette to live with people in another town and paid them for her care. Fired from the factory, Fantine turns to the oldest profession, becoming the very thing of which she had been accused, in order to raise money for Cosette.

With Hugo's novel covering a myriad of characters over the span of twenty years it is easy to believe that a worthwhile adaptation would be difficult, if not impossible. This screenplay, however, has chosen to concentrate on the struggle between Valjean and Javert, who have risen to their stations from similar childhoods. While Valjean turned to crime, Javert shunned it, seemingly afraid to become like his parents. As a result, he seeks justice with an almost fanatical devotion, determined to apprehend Valjean at any cost.

The latter half of the movie is set ten years later and deals with Valjean and Cosette (Claire Danes), now a young woman who he treats like a daughter. While Valjean has sought to keep them hidden from the world in a monastery, his love for her forces them to return to the world of Paris where she can experience life. Soon Cosette falls in love with a young radical named Marius (Hans Matheson). While Marius is under investigation for treason to the king, Javert discovers the young Cosette and -- by connection -- Valjean.

Compared to the strange affection between Valjean and Fantine in the first half of the film, Cosette's romance with Marius seems flat, stilted, and unmoving. Had the film been longer, they could have perhaps given more time to the young lovers and provided more pathos for their plight. Instead, the audience almost resents Cosette's inadvertent betrayal of her "father" by her careless actions.

Neeson and Rush are both outstanding in their roles, although it is Rush and his delightfully evil Javert who steals the show. Thurman is very good as Fantine, but after films such as Pulp Fiction and Batman & Robin it is hard to imagine Thurman in a period piece. Once I worked past that concept, I enjoyed her portrayal -- even if Fantine's sickly nature marred Thurman's haunting beauty. Daines may have made a charming Cosette, but her abilities as a actress were not up to the challenging role. Her accent never quite sounded natural, and she never appeared to fit in her surroundings.

Regardless, the film carries well, although it may not play well with the summer "action movie" crowd. Les Misérables is a thought provoking, brilliantly acted film, which has done a marvelous job of making Hugo accessible to everyone.

MY RATING: 8 out of 10.

RATED: PG-13
RUN TIME: 130 min.