Review
Rattaya Nimibutr
Staff Writer
Les Misérables is an epic tale of faith, love, redemption and everything in between. Distinguished as one of the most popular musicals of all time (and still having a successful run on Broadway), the story is brought to the big screen by director Bille August (Pelle the Conqueror) without the notable music score, but this exceptional adaptation of a classic still manages to capture a sensual, warm feeling.
Set during 19th century France, Les Misérables opens with Liam Neeson (Michael Collins) as Jean Valjean, a man whose theft of a loaf of bread brings him a prison sentence and a life on the run. An act of forgiveness then changes his life, leading him to reinvent himself as a mayor in a small town.
As he is traveling this totally different road, he falls in love with one of the most pitiful and money-starved specimens in town, Fantine (Uma Thurman), whose one wish is to have her daughter Cosette (Claire Danes) live in a good home.
As Valjean tends to Fantine's sickness, he promises to take care of Cosette as his love fights for her last breath.
When things seem about to finally fall in place, Valjean begins to be stalked by Javert (Geoffrey Rush), who scrutinizes the mayor's every move. He tries to reopen Valjean's past, having recognizing him from the prison where Javert was a guard.
After joining the small town as an inspector on the police force, Javert's suspicions of Valjean grow steadily worse. Valjean assumes the position of Cosette's father, and they relocate and change their names, hoping to avoid Javert. Nevertheless, Javert's hatred has become too obsessive to give up until he lays his fingers on the man he dreads most.
Eventually, Cosette matures and becomes a young woman, and her curiosity leads the pair into another town. She falls in love with Marius (Hans Matheson), and everything in the past comes into question as Cosette becomes the bait in Javert's game.
Playing the heroic and courageous Valjean, Neeson portrays the true thespian through his combination of a delicate persona and strong screen presence. Rush rides on the same scale as Neeson, depicting the assertive enemy and making the audience hate him. The pairing between these two gentlemen is quite a challenge on-screen.
Thurman is rather amusing, taking a break from her usual bad-girl line-up of Batman and Robin and Pulp Fiction. Her brief appearance as the mischievous Fantine makes the film much more entertaining. Just try and let someone like renewed golden-girl Julia Roberts tackle this role.
Also notable and admirable in her increasing maturity is Romeo and Juliet's Danes. Her portrayal of broken dreams with a young lover and a shattered childhood is worthy and charming.
The bit actors in this film are also inspiring. Their depiction of lives in the 19th century take this film above and beyond the level of its two prior big-screen incarnations.