User reviews

It is not possible to make a movie out of this marathon Victor Hugo novel (the original version I borrowed from library got around thousand pages and I had to settle for an abridged one) without leaving out some good portions. It is only to see what portions are left out and what are stressed. That depends on the director's or screenwriter's judgement. See Dumas' "Count of Monte Cristo" and you'll know what I'm talking about. That movie seemed to be based upon an already abridged version at the first place... such incoherent it was. What audience would appreciate is about making a good film, not following every bits of novel little by little. And that is why "Les Misérables" is a good film. It showed excellently what it showed. What is left out is left out, be it some characters that has no major relation to what the director thought to be the main story or some solitary incidents however interesting they might be.

It's got a nice star-studded cast. Geoffrey Rush is magnificent as Inspector Javert. If I am to stress one aspect of his totally excellent acting it would be his accent. I just loved it. Rush brought that vintage English accent instead of the expected French accent, that's I think became more suitable. Liam Neeson is an acting genius and I would place this one perhaps as his third best, behind "Schindler's List" and "Michael Collins" of course. He is definitely the obvious choice for such type of lead roles. The two main young characters of the film are played nicely by Claire Danes and Hans Matheson. Danes acted up to the standard of this film's allover acting level, which is quite good. Although somehow I feel Uma Thurman is a poor choice for Fantine. Her acting was not up to that level.

There are around 15-odd screen versions of Les Misérables including TV movies etc. The French production of 1982 by Robert Hossein was good and was definitely longer and more detailed than this. Many would disagree but I think this one by Bille August is better than that. Call it vulgar Hollywoodisation of old classics but still it's a worthy film on its own right, perhaps due to superb casting.

For the people wondering like i did, this is not a musical version, Liam Neeson is not on a stage running around singing with his arms in the air with Uma Thurman "La La La*. It's a serious Period Drama, a love story. With solid Performances from all the Cast. Uma Thurman's excellent as always, as well as Geoffrey Rush playing the bad guy which you could really dislike which shows how good he is. Claire Danes looks awesome, really sexy in the old like fashion get up, really fit. & A good performance by Liam Neeson, Definitely one of his better films. As for Epic Action, there is a bit near the end, not massive amounts, but enough for me at least to be contented with, if you like older based films for action, this wont be for you, but it is a good epic tale of love, honor and obsession.

I thought the film was well acted, Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush were superb, but the film missed a lot of the plot lines and characters from the book, most importantly Eponine who is integral to the story. Maybe 2 hours was not long enough to be true to the book.

How did this film get missed by the Acadmey Awards? This was a delight to watch. Goeffry Rush does such a good job as the inspector that you forget he is an actor and you really begin to dislike him. This film was also perfectly cast, and it has a wonderful music score. I remember thinking to myself as I watched it, that this movie was going to sweep all the Academy awards at the time it came out(but it didn't-infact in was only nominated for one award -Best Music Score(which it lost to "Shakespere in Love").If you will recall "Shakespere in Love" destroyed all the competition at the Awards in 1998. What a SHAME because this film was 10 times better than "Shakespere in Love" in EVERY catagory. This is also one of my favorite films of all time. I own a copy on VHS which I will get out about once every 3 or 4 months and watch the Beautiful story of Jean Vel-Jean all over again. Looking back to 1998 I still AMAZED that Liam Neeson and Jeffry Rush weren't even nominated for thier roles in this film. This is a film that you and your family will love to watch over and over again. It gets 5 out of 5 stars- A perfect Film, A masterpiece

The first point that bears emphasis about the 1998 film adaptation of Victor Hugo's "Les Misérables" is that it is highly abridged. Even more abridged than abridged versions of the novel and even more abridged than the story used for the popular musical. Characters such as Éponine and Gavroche are absent from this adaptation. This will offend those looking for a closer adaptation of Hugo's novel, but it does not bother me that this film focuses on the story of Valjean, Javert, Fantine, Cosette and Marius. The basic story for those unfamiliar with it, takes place in 19th century France and follows a poor thief, Jean Valjean, who is relentlessly pursued by Inspector Javert, even after reforming his ways.

Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush are excellent as the reformed and generous ex-convict and his relentless pursuer. The rest of the performances are commendable as well, particularly from Uma Thurman as Fantine, Claire Danes as Cosette and Hans Matheson as Marius. Claire Danes, in addition to giving a solid performance, seems to fit well with the iconic image of Cosette that has come to represent musical productions of the story.

Visually this film is impressive as well with sweeping representations of Paris, Vigo and other locations and appropriate costumes. Basil Poledouris' score was also fitting for the story. The story, though abridged, still effectively gives us the touching tale of the plight of the poor in France, a reformed and ceaselessly generous convict, an overzealous inspector and those around them. I always enjoyed the clash of ideals and cat and mouse game between a reformed criminal and a man who clings to the ideal that no criminal can ever be reformed. This version of "Les Misérables" is recommended for those that are not uncomfortable with heavy abridgements to Hugo's classic novel.

An acceptable and clever rendering with a star-studded cast giving good performances throughout, dealing with the famous Victor Hugo novel set in 18th century during a revolution against emperor Napoleon III to overthrow him and proclaim the French Republic. After facing poverty and jail, and subsequent escape, the paroled convict called Jean Valjean :Liam Neeson, is redeemed by the kindness of a bishop : Peter Vaughan. While factory worker Fantine : Uma Thurman, turns to prostitution to survive and maintain her daughter . Nowadays, Jean is a Mayor of a little town and he is attempting to mend his past ways, but he is continually hounded by the obsessed policeman Javert : Geoffrey Rush, who is determined to lock him away. The ending act is set during a student uprising in the 1830s, while Valjean is trying to save his adopted daughter : Claire Danes, and her boyfriend : Hans Matheson, a student who has revolutionary ideas. As Jean attempts to get his triumph against distresses through adversity, sacrifice and hardship.

This exciting story is finely detailed, spectacularly shown, lavishly realized, and well developed, though with no originality. As production design, atmosphere, musical score and cinematography are all top-notch. The plot follows the ordinary canon, as the houndedd ex-criminal Valjean mercilessly pursued by the stubborn, relentless Javert and playing cat and mouse game in 18th century France. It displays a more careful study of the main roles, more than previous versions. This rendition is one of the best of many, though I think the 1935 adaptation with Charles Laughton and Fredric March results to be the best. The main historical events took place ¨the June 1832 Rebellion or the Paris Uprising of 1832 was an anti-monarchist insurrection of Parisian republicans on 5 and 6 June 1832. The rebellion originated in an attempt by the republicans to reverse the establishment in 1830 of the July Monarchy of Louis Philippe, shortly after the death of the King's powerful supporter President of the Council Casimir Pierre Périer on 16 May 1832. On 1 June 1832, Jean Maximilien Lamarque, a popular former Army commander who became a member of the French parliament and was critical of the monarchy, died of cholera. The riots that followed his funeral sparked the rebellion. This was the last outbreak of violence linked with the July Revolution of 1830.. As the famous French author Victor Hugo memorialized the rebellion in his novel Les Misérables

It contains a colorful, adequate cinematography by Jorgen Persson and rousing as well as sensitive musical score by Basil Poledouris. The motion picture was professionally directed by Billie August who assures tension, entertainment and excitement enough, and not a second of the near two-hour actual running time is wasted . It is an allright retelling but doesn't reach the level of the 1935 classic movie. Well worth watching. Better than average.

Other versions are as follows : The classic retelling Les Miserables 1935 by Richard Boleslawski with Fredric March, Charles Laughton, Cedric Hardwicke, Rochelle Hudson, Florence Eldridge. Les Miserables 1952 by Lewis Milestone with Michael Rennie, Robert Newton, Debra Paget, Edmund Gwenn. Italian version, Les Miserables 1952 by Riccardo Freda with Gino Cervi, Valentina Cortese. French adaptation 1957 by with Jean Gavin, Bernard Blier, Serge Reggiani. Les miserables 1995 by Claude Lelouch with Jean Paul Belmondo, Annie Girardot, Jean Marais, Rufus, Philippe Leotard, Alexandra Martines. A recent musical 2012 by Tom Hooper with Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, Anne Hathaway, Sacha Baron Cohen. 1978 Tv series by Glenn Jordan with Anthony Perkins, Richard Jordan, John Gielgud, Cryl Cusack, Flora Robson and 2018 TV series with Dominic West, David Oyelowe, David Bradley, Olivia Colman, Lynn Collins, among others.

One could make the snobbish mistake and try to evaluate this movie in comparison to the book, play, or musical. If one were to see the movie as it is, a well acted and directed tale of love, betrayal and passion, then one would NEVER be dissapointed. Liam Neeson IS Jean Valjean, Geoffrey Rush IS the maniacal Javer. Paris IS the city for lovers and broken dreams. This is a movie that sweeps the cobwebs out of your heart and MAKES you feel empathy and warmth for the characters. You want to see them happy and experience some sort of peace in their world. This is a movie that one thinks about for years. A true gem.

Never saw the musical production, but did read the novel before in abridged version and it's in English translation as well. Funny that whenever I think about Les Miserables (because normally people have the tendency to link to the musical production, I can understand), I will want to break out into this song being used in the musical - 'Castle On A Cloud'.

Because this song was being used once in my past school's music lessons like five years back. We were being taught by our music teacher how to sing it like in the form of Cosette in the musical and we even watched parts of the musical through this tape or something my music teacher has. It was the beginning of me discovering all about Les Miserables and everything in between.

Jean Valjean (Liam Nesson) is actually an escaped convict, but then he had managed to work his way through to become a mayor of the town and being popular among its folks. Cosette's mother Fantine (Uma Thurman) was working in the factory that Valjean owned. When it became made known to Fantine herself that she is almost dying, she asked the mayor to find her Cosette and take care of her. But the thing is, young Cosette has already been working for the Thenardiers for some time and the family has always been harsh to her even when Valjean managed to locate Cosette down. Soon Valjean took her under his wing and raised her like his own.

Years passed and Cosette (Claire Danes) is 18. By this time, the poor are very unhappy over the French government. A group of university students (they call themselves Friends of the ABC) decided to lead a revolutionary movement. One of them is Marius. Soon, he was being taken by Cosette and always tried to meet her out. But, a revolution is about to happen and his friends needs him and even when a jealous Eponine (she actually happens to be part of the Thenardiers) gets in the way, everything starts to become so uncertain.

In the times where the people have no idea what will happen tomorrow during the events of the French Revolution (which did happened in history), it's a little poignant and sad as I watched this movie.

I had actually watched the movie once on television here, and another time on cable. Though the ending was kind of what I had never really expected to be (maybe given I had read the English translation of the novel before), at least it gave the uninitiated an idea of Victor Hugo's best known work.

They could not have chosen a better cast! Uma Thurman is extremely talented; very convincing as a selfless mother who will do anything to make sure her child is taken care of. Liam Neeson and Geoffrey Rush: they make this movie so intense, it reaches in and grabs your heart; joy, sorrow, fear, anger, pity, every emotion necessary for such a timeless classic.

I really like the characterization of Javert and the actor who played him, I think that was somewhat of an improvement over the somewhat two-dimensional Javert from the musical. But otherwise, it doesn't work half as well as the musical does in getting to the audience's emotions. This is the kind of work where you should laugh and cry and clap at the end and be changed. The movie just doesn't do it.

They tried to put too much story into too little time and cut out several important characters in the process. Val Jean is well played, but I think the Marius and Cosette actors were somewhat abysmal. And without Éponine, Enjolras, and the Thénardiers, such a big story feels kind of small.

Wow, pinch me.....I must be dreaming.

This is a Grade A exhibit of how you can still make a terrific movie today without profanity, tons of violence and-or sex.....AND how you can make a picture which carries a good, moral message. This is one of truly rare modern-day films that actually espouses mercy and forgiveness instead of revenge.

This is simply a solid film with a very satisfying ending....satisfying to people who aren't in love with edgy, nasty endings.....such as almost all your professional movie critics. So, if your favorite critic didn't give this film a good review - and most did not - please ignore it.

In addition to the involving storyline and excellent acting by Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush, Uma Thurman and Claire Danes, the viewer is treated to some beautiful European countryside scenery. My only complaint of this film is the shoddy treatment it received on DVD. No extras and so-so sharpness. Like the movie itself, it deserves more respect.

I am one of the few people who haven't read the book nor seen the stage production of this movie so can't do any comparison.

However, on the evidence of the movie, I'd have to say it's a gem of a story.

Everything about it was fabulous. Liam Neeson is truly one of the best actors of his generation. Geoffrey Rush was great too. Can't say that much about the others although Uma Thurman has caught my eye.

It is very difficult to pull off a period movie convincingly but this one's an exception.

Loved it, want to see it again.

And now for the book......and the musical....

Even though there was no singing in the movie-version, This was my favorite. The film followed the Victor Hugo novel quite well with outstanding performances by Uma Thurman (Fantine) and especially Liam Neeson (Jean Valjean) I was moved to tears numerous times as I watched the story of a convicted felon who served serious time for stealing a loaf of bread and later becomes a mayor of a small town. He is suspected of being a former prisoner by the inspector Javert. With the confusion of the French rebellion and Valjean's adopted daughter Cosette's love, Javert realizes that he cannot kill Valjean, a man that saved his life. Javert's decision in the ending is powerful(although I will not give it away) this movie is excellent, and tear-jerking. this is a beautiful classic.

Victor Hugo's enormous output is unique in French literature... He was described as 'The most powerful mind of the romantic movement' and his novel, published in 1862, continued to be widely read...

The plot - that of a detective - is as well the epic of the people of Paris... Its author claimed it as a 'religious' work, and indeed by means of its characters, sometimes a little larger than life, yet always vital and engaging, and by its re-creation of the swarming Parisian underworld, the main theme of man's ceaseless combat with evil clearly emerges while the whole gives a faithful picture of the declines and flow of life...

Hugo relives his youth in this vast novel, the culmination of 14 years work... He and Valjean share their most outstanding characteristic: their charitable heart...

The story contains glimpses of Hugo's disgust towards 'the treatment of the lower class French citizens by the government: Valjean, an ex-convict recently released from prison, but he is not given the opportunity to make a good living for himself; Fantine forced into prostitution due to the lack of money to pay her illegitimate child...

And towards the 'general injustice of the law enforcement system: Valjean sentenced to prison for stealing a loaf of bread; Fantine arrested for hitting a man of a higher class...

The symbol of France's greed that Hugo despises is Thenardier - the man that Fantine entrusts Cosette to - who betrays the trust by essentially making Cosette his personal slave...

The strongest emotions of "Les Misérables are love and hate...

Javert and Valjean are both extremes, with a conscience incredibly strict...

Liam Neeson is cast as the gentle Valjean who takes the twist of fate parlaying it into personal success and moral rehabilitation... He changes his ways to become years later the much-loved mayor of Vigau, and as a caring businessman he struggles to forget the past and manages to redeem his soul becoming benevolent, giving manual and financial help to the weak, sick and poor...

After nine years, Valjean was horrified to discover that Javert - a former guard of the Quarries of Toulon, where he served almost 20 years - has arrived to be the head of Vigau's police force...

Valjean's desire to protect the employees from bad influences leads him to fire (indirectly) one of his workers Fantine - turned prostitute... He assumes responsibility for raising her daughter Cosette... He becomes a father figure and soon forces the choice of sacrificing his own freedom for her happiness...

Geoffrey Rush plays the icy chief inspector Javert, the man who tries "to live his life without breaking a single rule." When he is given the job of spying in the barricades and Valjean gives him his freedom instead of shooting him, things begin to fall apart for him...

The action of mercy of Jean Valjean causes him to doubt the solid base of his existence... He is in emotional agony unable to betray his convictions... He sees too late the truth...

Valjean's legendary physical strength are enough to stir his suspicion that the town mayor is a fraud... He is less villain than a man driven by his own hard concept of justice begging permission of his superiors in Paris to investigate the mayor, the man he believes is a convict...

When he thinks he has made a mistake in identifying Monsieur Le Maire as the 'convict' Jean Valjean, he insists on informing him that he has denounced him unjustly and that therefore he must be dismissed: "You must punish me", he says, "or my life will have been meaningless." (A key line in the film).

Uma Thurman approaches the self-indulgent character of Fantine with admirable restraint, giving a certain level of charm and charisma to the film... She gives her sick mother role a good amount of realism demonstrating her character's frustration and pain exquisitely...

Fantine's misery overwhelms her as she sells her body to support her child... Being in a wild state, enraged at how she is a helpless victim of misery, she is arrested after being humiliated by several would-be customers, but Valjean intercedes on her behalf overriding Javert's authority...

When Valjean helps her, she begins to rediscover hope... Her joy at the thought of having Cosette with her is great... But the shock of Valjean's arrest and the discover that Cosette is not there, are too much for the poor creature...

Claire Danes plays the teenage Cosette who realizes one day that she has become quite beautiful... She disobeys her father's rules by secretly sneaking out and seeing Marius - a charismatic young Parisian revolutionary - with whom she fell in love...

Cosette spends her childhood as a servant girl at the Thenardier's inn, horribly mistreated and constantly terrified... She grew up in a convent, innocent, pure and a bit naïve...

Peter Vaughan is excellent as the compassionate bishop whose act of generosity turns an embittered Valjean around...

Bille August tries to capture the essence of Hugo's morality staging its political turmoil strongly enough to give it contemporary resonance, keeping the eternal three elements: the bishop handing over the candlesticks; Fantine's collapse; Marius crying out: "To the barricades!"

History doesn't change, as Voltaire once remarked... But what we need from it, does... Valjean's story is not unique, it's universal... In other world, it's contemporary... There are certainly enough "Les Misérables" to go all around the world...

If you love the book, then you won't like the movie. You may notice that other people have noted this film as awful and stupid. All of their judgment is based on the fact that the film is not like the book. However, if you will watch the movie for what it is, NOT what the book is, you may find it is a WONDERFUL movie. The soundtrack is beautiful, the acting is great, and the message is heart-warming. I don't remember seeing such a fine drama in all my life. Not to be biased or discriminating, but if you are of the Christian faith, this movie is 10 times better. It is VERY good, even if it's different from the book. It is one of my favorite films.

With no doubt this movie is an utopia. Never ever in my life I have been so mesmerized by a movie in the way this one did to me. This is the movie of my life, a masterpiece, a perfect movie that warms your hearth and changes you as a person if you allow it. In a good manner. This movie also made me read the books. I love this story so much that I will build myself with patience and even go to see the new musical, for which I don't have the high expectations everyone has right now but I'm not going to criticize either. I will go for the story. For the wonderful story of Jean Valijean and Javert. I don't care about the differences. There are always going to be differences, between a movie and a book, but that doesn't matter. The message matters. The message that carries what we all should do more in our life: be a better person than others, be able to forgive and give up hating. This is what really matters and a true "Les miserables" fan will notice and follow that. As for the cast I have no words. Liam Neeson IS Jean Valijean! He's the perfect Jean Valijean that the world will have on screen, no matter what some others say. Geoffrey Rush IS the one and only Javert. He IS and WILL always be the one and only person that could portray the fanatic, perfectionist and twisted Javert. He is the only person by now that could pull all this emotions together and give this perfect performance. If the Academy Awards wouldn't have been so blind at the edition and toss around the Oscars with no sense as they did and would have notice more carefully the wonderful performance of those two the Oscars would have been now at their rightfully owners. But I don't care. For me and for others as well they are the best from that year. Not "Elizabeth", NOT "Shakespeare in love", THIS! Uma Thurman and Claire Danes are the most talented (especially Danes) Fantine and Cosette. Claire Danes will always be Cosette for me. She was the most sweet person in the movie. With the most beautiful eyes as well. The score was perfect especially at the Revolution scene. Very powerful.

Watch it people. If you care about good movies watch it as soon as you read this! Otherwise you live in vain.

10* PERFECTION!

This is one of the best movies I have seen so far. Some of the people gave negative comments because the actual book was not fully covered. If you keep the book aside for a while and analyze this movie, it is awesome in each and every aspect.

It is so often stated by users of this website that "the book was better than the film" that I could scream from the appalling dimwittedness of the comment. The medium of written story telling gives the author the latitude to paint pictures with broad brushstrokes, leaving the details to the individual creative consciousness of the reader making the reading experience intensely personal. However, in film, the director has no such luxury and must fill in the blanks left by the author on behalf of the reader by presenting real imagery leaving considerably less to the imagination of the audience than the author left to the reader. Hence, in film, a story is much less personal than in print which is why we so often hear "the book was better".

It would be impossible to do justice to Victor Hugo's classic novel "Les Miserables" in the space of a feature film. However, "Les Miserables" (1998) does capture the essence of the story, hitting all the high points with a competent cast, suitable locations, and par sundries. Director August does an adequate job of compressing the expansive tale of sweeping human emotions into 2+ hours making it a worthwhile watch for those who simply want to experience a sort of digest of the classic novel. In short, if you want to experience the full depth and breadth of Hugo's tale, read the book. However, if you want a condensed version without all that reading, this film is will give you what you want. (B)

I have read the book and I think this film is absolutely stunning. Only to be avoided if you are a purist who thinks that novels should be adapted to the letter of how they're written (I'm on board for some changes if it's still a good film, and my God this one was!).

I have watched this masterpiece three times and it has improved every single time. Liam Neeson is superb as Jean Valjean, as is Geoffrey Rush who gives one of the best Javert-performances I have ever seen. Uma Thurman and Claire Danes were both wonderful too: any deviations from the novels that their character development did make were only to make them more three-dimensional, well-rounded, and likeable.

And as I've said, this film as a whole is stunning. The music is stunning. The shots and scenery are stunning. It also stays fundamentally true to Victor Hugo's message from the source material: the value of love, compassion, and mercy.

Bravo to everyone involved in this!

An admirable adaptation of a very difficult novel to put to screen. This one amalgamated the several books into one story, which is the easiest way. Missing some important plot points, but nothing integral. The best version I've seen was a French version, with, IIRC, Gerard Depardieu as Jean Valjean.

Geoffrey Rush is the standout here. Liam Neeson does a fairly good job (and his size helps to make his role believable), but Geoffrey Rush is superb. I was disappointed in Uma Thurman and Claire Danes, however - I know them both to be capable of acting much more strongly than they showed here. And Claire Danes, being an American with a sad British accent in a French story was amusing at most.

Overall, the film is definitely a good watch. For Geoffrey Rush's performance alone, if nothing else. Though I suggest reading the book above all else, as it's magnificent! And Victor Hugo's epic is one that can never truly be adapted to the silver screen. That aside, this is one of the better jobs I've seen and I recommend it. 7/10.