Film Review: "Les Miserables"

Les Miserables is a 1998 film based on the novel by Victor Hugo. Unlike the upcoming 2010 version, it is not based on the stage musical. It tells the story of Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson), who is on parole from prison for almost two decades after stealing bread. Valjean attempts to steal silverware from a priest who offers him food, but is caught. The priest lets him go, with the condition that he changes his life. This he does, becoming the mayor of a small town. Unfortunately, he meets one of the guards during his imprisonment, named Javert (Geoffery Rush), who notices who he is. Javert tells his superiors, but later a man people claim is Jean Valjean is caught for breaking parole. During this time, a young girl named Fantine (Uma Thurman) is caught at her factory for having a baby out of wedlock, a girl named Cosette. She is fired, and cannot afford to pay the people taking care of Cosette, so she resorts to prostitution. One day, when some men put snow down her dress, she hits them, and is arrested by Javert. Valjean hears this, and uses his authority to free her and take care of her. Also, he hears about the fake Valjean goes and frees the man by revealing himself, and when Javert goes to arrest him, he attacks Javert and flees. Fantine dies right before this, and he promises to care for Cosette. Valjean goes, frees Cosette, and they escape to Paris, where Cosette and he join a convent. Ten years later, Cosette (Claire Danes) doesn't want to fulfill her vows as a nun, so they go live somewhere else, where she falls in love with a buddinge revolutionary named Marius. Javert sees this, traces it back to Cosette's and Valjean's home, and realizes that Valjean is still alive. Unfortunately, in an attempt to capture Valjean, Javert is captured by the revolutionaries and is set to die, but Cljean goes in and frees him. A little while later, Javert captures Valjean and he tries to help Marius. They make a deal: Marius is free, but Valjean will go with Javert after visiting his home one last time. When Valjean returns, after saying bye to his daughter Cosette, Javert decides to let him go. Javert says he has never broken a rule in his life, and then commits suicide jumping into the river. Valjean, now a free man, walks away.


According to Wikipedia, there's more after this in the novel. Cosette and Marius marry, and Valjean eventually dies. This film was well acted, the cinematography and locations were beautiful and natural, and the story was well told. It felt like a classic style of filming, and the story's strength carried itself. I really liked who they chose, very good actors who played their role well. The music was subtle but fitting, and the main theme played throughout the movie was nice. I look forward to the musical, which may be different from this film, which was excellent. I do remember seeing parts for this film before and remembering that it was good, although I remember little else.