If you're not my Facebook "friend" then you may not have been aware that I won two tickets to a special screening of the movie musical, Les Miserables. I took my daughter, Abbey, with me. I thought that was only fair since she's taken me to see the stage musical and last year we saw it together as we ushered at the Aronoff Center.
We have both been anticipating this movie for many, many months. We have excitedly watched the clips and previews as they've been released time and time again. Admittedly, we had mixed emotions about what to expect...Could it live up to the stage version? Could the Hollywood actors possibly do justice to the roles into which so many Broadway and other stage performers have poured their hearts and souls?
We were not disappointed!
I'm not sure you could go wrong with the story. After all, it's based on the epic novel by Victor Hugo. I've begun to describe him as "The French Charles Dickens". I by no means am scholarly enough to debate the value, style or enduring works of literature between these two men. My comparison is based upon their ability to put pen and ink to the plight of the poor...injustice...cruelty...degradation...and redemption.
Aaaahhh! There it is...sweet redemption. This story is brimming full of it. I knew I would weep. I knew I would be choked up. I'm not ashamed to say, I wept unabashedly...tears streaming down my face at the depiction of grace, mercy, compassion and yes, redemption of those that are too often overlooked: the poor, the outcast, the ones who have to scrap and sometimes even steal to survive.
Want to get choked up? Watch the story unfold of just how low a mother will sink in order to provide for her child and when she sings, "I dreamed a dream that love would never die...life has killed the dream I dreamed," if you don't at least get uncomfortable in your comfy seat, then sit tight...there's even more opportunities to weep to come.
The character in this story that has always intrigued me the most is Javert. If you don't know the story, I don't want to reveal any spoilers...so I'll just say that he's the man of "the law" that at one time picked himself up out of the gutter into which he was born by his own power and hard work...and can't understand why everyone else can't do the same. Sound familiar? Yeah...I've been around way too much of that thinking in my lifetime too!
But here's what I've been pondering regarding him since I first became familiar with this storyline several years ago. This is the guy who can't accept that someone could do wrong...especially what Javert deems to be an extreme wrong...and be forgiven. Mercy, grace, and compassion are not only foreign concepts to him...they are unacceptable...even to himself. When Jean Valjean (the bad guy in Javert's eyes) has become so full of mercy, grace, forgiveness and love...merely because it was once shown to him...and offers the same grace to Javert...Javert absolutely cannot accept it. Not only can he not accept mercy...it is his ultimate demise.
The movie is beautiful. The cinematography is amazing. The acting and singing, while not flawless, are so well done...so raw...so much like watching a stage version, that overall...the affect is breathtaking. Special kudos to Anne Hathaway as Fantine. I'm not really up to date on Oscar hopefuls for this year...but I hope she's a contender at least!
If you're not a musical fan, you may not be impressed, but I honestly do not see how you can walk away not feeling blessed to know you are redeemed by One who loves us so deeply, so completely...no matter what we've done...no matter how "miserable" we are.
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