Hooper’s ‘Les Miserables’ Is A Miss For This Fan Of The Musical
“Les Miserables”
© Universal Pictures
Before my review of Tom Hooper’s film “Les Miserables,” I just want to preempt a few nastygrams by saying that I have tremendous respect for this musical. I studied it in school growing up, I’ve watched several performances of it over the years, and I know some of the songs well enough to sing along. Although I’m not exactly a diehard “Les Mis” devotee, I can appreciate the skill with which the story and the music are crafted. Both are woven together in a way that is compelling and enthralling.
That being said, Hooper’s adaptation is a disappointing cinematic regurgitation of the stage show that is downright boring. The only interesting moments come from specific performances and the small deviations the film makes from tradition.
“he’s too slavish to the show”
My response to that is, why mess with perfection? The stage musical has been round for almost 30 years because it’s so good. I appreciated that Hooper kept certain things the same. He also added his own spin, close-ups and what-not to bring an intimacy to the production. I loved it all. Sorry that the production annoyed you. Check out my review to see why I loved it so much.