I Rewatched Les Misérables For The First Time In Ten Years, And I Think My Opinion On It Has Changed

So I saw Les Misérables in theaters when it came out in 2012 – and I have to say, my opinion on it has changed a decent amount. 

I'm a big fan of musicals. I love any classic musical. I adore modern musicals like The Book of Mormon. And there are plenty of new musicals that are deserving of a film adaptation. But this love came over time, and while I did always love movie musicals as a kid, now I have a much better understanding of them. 

One movie musical I adored as a kid was Les Misérables. At the time, I was astonished and fascinated by this movie. I couldn't believe that Tom Hooper had brought such an indescribable movie to the theater, and what made it even better was that it was the first movie musical to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars since 2002, ever since Chicago came out – another movie I love to re-watch. 

But I decided to check this movie out years later to see if it still held up to my thirteen-year-old mind. It's been more than ten years since it was released, and I must admit that my opinion about many things has stayed the same, and many others have changed. 

Anne Hathaway Is Still Just As Hypnotizing As Fantine, And If Anything Her Performance Has Gotten Better With Age

I will say that most of the casting is excellent for Les Misérables. The cast is full of talent, no matter where you look – but Anne Hathaway is by far the standout of this film. 

Anne Hathaway has some great movies under her belt, with iconic roles I could go on for hours about. The actress is fantastic, from the amazing The Devil Wears Prada to The Princess Diaries to even The Dark Knight Rises. I'm also a massive fan of her in Interstellar, one of my favorite Christopher Nolan movies. 

But her role in Les Misérables is a fantasy. Her voice is so raw; you can feel the bone-shaking moments of pure desperation and fear. It's everything you could want in an Academy Award-winning performance, and she still deserves that years later. 

I Used To Think Hugh Jackman Was Good For Jean Valjean, But Not Anymore

Hugh Jackman, on the other hand, wasn't the best choice for Jean Valjean. I used to think he was, but I don't see it now. 

I won't lie and say this isn't one of Jackman's best movies – acting-wise, he performs well. It's understandable why he would get nominated for an Academy Award for it. But to me…it just doesn't sit right. 

I've seen Jackman in some incredible movies, and he's done a lot of significant roles, but I don't believe him as Jean Valjean. He does excellent in musicals, like one of my favorites, The Greatest Showman, but this role wasn't the perfect pick for him. He has passion, that much is clear, but it's not my favorite performance from him.

I Used To Be Able To Listen To Crowe's Singing But It's Just Not Doable Anymore, He Never Should Have Been Cast

Ugh. God, I almost don't want to talk about this. 

I used to be able to handle lousy singing as a child, but why was Russell Crowe cast as Javert? Genuinely? Crowe is a great actor and has been in extraordinary films, but he can't sing. He can't. And this movie isn't even autotuned; it's all raw singing, so you hear every single off-pitch note.

That opinion hasn't changed much besides my distaste for it growing. Crowe is a great actor, but please keep him away from musicals. 

My Opinion On Amanda Seyfried, However, Hasn't Changed – And Really The Whole Younger Cast Was Great Too

Amanda Seyfried’s movie and TV career has expanded so much, and back in 2012, I had already seen her in another of my favorite movie musicals, Mamma Mia!, so I knew she could sing. And my opinion of her hasn't changed – it's only grown.

Honestly, the whole younger cast is excellent. Even now, Seyfried, Samantha Barks, Aaron Tveit, and Eddie Redmayne impressed me. The only trouble I found was with the performances of some of the older adults. 

I've Also Learned To Love The Production Design Way More

Something I also noticed as a kid was that I didn't appreciate the set design and the production as much as I do now. I think it just blazed over my head, and I never really gave it time and thought. But now, wow, whoever was behind making the set of Les Misérables needs a raise. 

Opinions change all the time, but now, I formed a brand new one – that the production design is honestly one of the saving graces of this movie. Everything looks so natural, as if we are thrown right back into the 1700s and amid the French Revolution. It's so good. The makeup and hairstyling is fantastic too - it's no wonder the movie won an Academy Award for that.

But The Soundtrack Isn't Nearly As Powerful In The Movie As It Is In The Theater, Compared To How I Felt As A Kid

The Les Misérables soundtrack is probably one of the most iconic in theater. I think it's even more iconic than Wicked (which is also getting a movie adaptation) or even The Phantom of the Opera. This soundtrack has made waves time and time again for its brilliant artistry and fabulous lyrics. 

But upon watching it as an adult, my opinion on the movie's soundtrack has changed, and I'm not the biggest fan -- because it doesn't feel as powerful. 

Nothing will feel as ground-breaking as seeing the musical in an actual stage production, which I have done for this story. Still, there's just something about the authentic realness of that, which makes the movie much more inferior. The emotion is there, but it doesn't hit as hard because you're not physically in the room. I'm not sure; it also doesn't help that Crowe's singing makes it that much worse. 

Even So, The Death Scenes Are Still Pretty Impactful, Especially Now As An Adult, Something I Didn't Quite Get As A Kid

When I first saw this movie with my dad, he said that he was stunned they killed a kid in the film. Apparently, to him, there is this unspoken rule of Hollywood that it's rare to kill a child in film. And thinking about it, I've realized that, too. 

There are few films that kids are killed in, and when they are, they are heartbreaking. Think about movies like The Kid in the Striped Pajamas or Stand By Me; it's sad when it happens. 

Now, add a shot of a child to a revolution, making for a compelling death scene that rocks adult Alexandra to her core. They are so much more impactful now that I'm older.

Overall, The Movie Is Decent, But There Are Better Movie Musicals Out There

There's a lot of praise for Les Misérables. The set design is excellent, the music is relatively done well, and most of the acting performances are good. 

But a lot about it has changed for me. I've noticed the other acting performances that don't blend in as well, the terrible singing in some people, the fact that the story just doesn't feel as influential in a movie theater – and that this film is way too long. It's nearly three hours. 

Either way, the movie is suitable for a first-time watch, but I'd suggest other movie musicals; better ones. Steven Spielberg's West Side Story is a tremendous modern-day movie musical that brought a classic stage production to life, featuring the perfect picks for a West Side Story cast. You should check that one out. 

But for Les Misérables? It's better for a rainy-day watch. It misses the mark. 

Maybe someday I'll see some hidden greatness about this film that I didn't realize before, and my opinion will change. Still, for now, I'll settle on this: Tom Hooper also directed the movie Cats, which, in my opinion, is a film I want to burn from my brain, so it makes sense as to why I would spot things in Les Misérables now that I'm not a huge fan of. 

He should stick to his Academy Award-winning dramas and stay away from musicals for a bit. Or at least not cast Crowe in a singing role ever again, please.