After a spectacularly tearful introduction to Les Mis last weekend, I have spent almost every waking moment mindlessly humming along to one of the countless catchy tunes. It seems I can’t go ten minutes without blurting out ‘Do you hear the people sing?’ – in fact it’s becoming incredibly problematic; my poor mother is being driven around the bend!

 

 

I was, therefore, almost personally offended when I read allegations of ‘poor singing’ in the tabloids. Abstractly, I can see what they’re getting at; Russell Crowe’s growl is hardly made for the pitch perfect land of musicals, but surely that all adds to the realism? Had Inspector Javert ever actually stalked the streets of Paris, I doubt that he would have sung in a way that would make Simon Cowell suddenly start singing ‘On my own’. I doubt that a real-life Javert would have sung at all, in fact, but then that’s another matter.

 

Besides, it’s not as if the quality of the singing was anywhere near as iffy as the critics are saying, Anne Hathaway (the Princess of Genovia, not Mrs Shakespeare) in particular shone as Fantine- her rendition of ‘I dreamed a dream’ was enough to put Susan Boyle to shame. And Eddie Redmayne -wistful sigh- gave an absolutely superb performance as the love-struck Marius; his delivery of ‘Empty chairs at empty tables’ was enough to make me, and half the cinema, sob uncontrollably into our popcorn.

 

In fact, I was so deeply invested in the story itself that I really wasn’t affected by a few flat notes here and there. The sheer cinematographic beauty is enough to keep most viewers occupied- it’s not often I get excited about a camera angle, but in this instance I literally struggled to suppress my ‘phwoar’s.

 

All in all, Les Misérables was mind-bogglingly brilliant. It’s definitely one of the best films I’ve seen in years and I’m hoping to see it again as soon as possible. If you haven’t already popped down to Cineworld then I suggest you book tickets post haste and attempt to redeem yourself. If Jean Valjean can do it, so can you.