Les Misérables (12A)

I agree with Rosie Goode. Not convenient at all!!!

I hate this new timeout film layout. Previously put in postcode SE17 and WITH ONE CLICK any number of local cinemas comes up: SE1, SW4, W1, Barbican, west end, Clapham, Brixton, Bermondsey - any number of choice - now it seems I have to enter separately at least 4 areas to get the same information. Hopeless, and I wont use it again. I still cant find which cinema I want to see Les Mis in....

I went back to see Les Miserables for the third time today (in Holland we have a really wonderful system which might in the meantime have already reached the UK as well or it was there all along: it started originally in France, I think. Movie fans here can choose between two types of movies passes, one is for the more mainstream Pathé cinemas and the other one is valid for the art movies theatres; each cost about 20 euros per month for unlimited entry!) and I enjoyed it as much as the first two times. I found the scenes where Fantine was subjected to all kinds of humiliation by her fellow French men and women a little bit too gruesome so I just closed my eyes for a couple of minutes during those sad scenes and focused only on the music which worked well for me. That said, I must convey my apologies to the makers of Les Miserables. I watched the credits more closely this third time around and indeed Mr. Trevor Nunn and Mr. John Caird were already both mentioned after all (I missed their names the first two times; please see my other earlier reactions to this movie below; thanks very much). If you not been to this movie, do please go soon; it's really a very well-made movie and really worth 158 minutes of your time. Happy weekend!

I'm not a big fan of musicals and have not see the stage show though I thought that Les Mis was one that I might enjoy. Not based upon this film I'm afraid. While the basic storyline was fine for me I'm afraid that Javert had not done enough to warrant killing himself and, other than blatant sentimentality, I did not see the point of the little cockney sounding boy who presumably had wandered off the set of Oliver!! I thought that there were precious few songs worth the name and, in the main, the dialogue was just sung mediocre prose. I did not think that Russell Crowe was that bad as a singer and, IMHO, did a much better job than the actor playing the grown up Cosette (sp?). By far the most entertaining scene for me was the tavern scene with SBC and HBC, both of whom were a hoot. I've given it 3 because my wife absolutely loved it and it's saved me a trip to the theatre - otherwise a 2.

Wow! Having never seen/read any version of 'Les Mis', I wasn't getting too excited about seeing it, but it couldn't have been done better. Never a big fan of musicals and knowing that it was nearly all singing, I was so surprised that it was just so great. Another worry beforehand was that there would be a lack of emotion at the expense of trying to tell the story through song. I was wrong again! It was really emotionally-involving throughout and often very moving because of the director's insistence to have live singing. As for the actors, Anne Hathaway was even more amazing than what I'd imagined and the unknown (to me) Samantha Barks was a fantastic discovery and looks set for future stardom. Finally, again to my surprise, having never really rated him as an actor, Hugh Jackman proved to be the heart and soul of the film and he delivers a really heartfelt and brilliant performance. Go see it, even if you're not a fan of musicals like me. You'll surely be converted.

There are some seriously dense people on this site. The whole point of a musical is a constant stream of song - including, yes, what could actually be dialogue.

Amazing film, expanded the stage musical brilliantly. The only disappointment was the ridiculous voice of Amanda Seyfried, surely they could have found someone better than that for Cosette?! Despite 5 stars.

I have avoided LM so finally got to see it at the cinema tonight and was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the film. The breadth of the story kept my interest as it quickly moved from scene to scene. It reminded me of the one take Russian Ark in which the story starts and you can't get off until the end. Took a while to get used to the singing but I got used to it. Worth seeing on the big screen, it will look dull on a TV

I felt like I was being bullied by the director to make me feel for these characters who were otherwise incredibly simplistic. I love the story of Les Miserables, but felt this was a dreadful, overbearing, simplistic version. I felt the same way last year about Warhorse - but at least the horse didn't sing!

(I am resending as I mixed up the names of the original directors of Les Misérables the musical: they were Mr. Trevor Nunn and Mr. John Caird who were involved with the original Barbican Arts Centre production in London and not Mr. Harold Prince who has indeed directed some brilliant musicals but not Les Misérables however) I went back today for a 2nd round of Les Misérables and in fact enjoyed it much more than the first time especially the newly added song Suddenly. Being a lifelong musical fan, I have great respect for the original directors of Les Misérables of many years ago Mr. Trevor Nunn and Mr. John Caird. I was sad to see their names not being mentioned at all at the end of this movie which to me personally is somewhat disrespectful or simply an oversight from the makers of this new movie, I think. Can their names still be inserted somewhere at the very end of this movie? Without their original contribution the stage musical Les Misérables we have enjoyed for the last 26 years might not have existed at all in the first place, not in its brilliant present form in any case. Basically this new movie is more or less a direct screen transformation of the original musical in the Barbican Arts Centre, later on the West End & Broadway & of course in many cities all over the world. Mr. Trevor Nunn and Mr. John Caird, I salute you both and I thank you both for this wonderful original musical which you originally helped brought to the stage via the Barbican Arts Centre in London! Cheers, my best regards & greetings from the Netherlands.