Les Misérables... An Epic Saga, and a Tempest of the Heart

Les Misérables




Starring: Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathway, Russell Crowe, 
and Amanda Seyfried

Directed By: Tom Hooper 

Written By:Claude-Michel Schonbergm and Alain Boubil
Genre: Adapted Drama, Musical/Performing Arts
Released: December 2012
 

 Synopsis:

Les Misérables is a memorizing tale of shattered dreams, unequitable love, sacrifice, and truly demonstrates the endurance of the human spirit. Jackman is ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, pursued for decades by brutal policeman Javert (Russell Crowe) after he breaks parole. Valjean gallantly agrees to watch over a poverty-sticken factory worker, Fantine's (Anne Hathaway) young daughter Cosette, which transforms their lives forevermore. 

 Trailer

 The plot emerges as a story embracing humanity, love and loss, while describing the political uprising in France during the French Revolution.  Directed by Tom Hooper, who triumphed with the Oscar-winning film of 2012, The King’s Speech,  this musical film enthralls you. The physical strength of this movie is impressive presenting an awe-inspiring and colossal effort, just like Valjean's as he heaves the flagpole at the beginning of the film. You can almost feel the movie's muscles flexing and see veins popping.

Jean is an emaciated convict, labelled as prisoner No. 24601, for stealing a loaf of bread. Jackman's lean and hungry look was no accident, as the actor certainly must have starved for months preparing for his role.  He is nearly unrecognizable. His passion, and voice combine to deliver the most impressive role of his career thus far, and an Oscar nod for the best actor category was not a surprise.

The diamond in the rough of the film belongs to Anne Hathaway, surpisingly only on screen for a total of 15 minutes as Fantine. Hathaway's hair  gets chopped, and her teeth yanked, positioned in a part that is a far-from-glamourous assignment. She gloriously reinvents her character`s paramount song (in the trailer attached)  amidst sobs during her vocals,  “I Dreamed a Dream.” (Remember Susan Boyle`s rendition?) She conveys a desolate plea from the heart –filmed in a single spectacular take. Her Oscar  nomination for best actress in a supporting role is well-deserved; Oscar-winning, we shall see!

The movie's cinematography was designed with elaborate, gargantuan set pieces, highlighted with detailed costumes  exuding misery and filth. The make-up caked actors displayed  a cast of sickly pale images, highlighted with dark under-eye circles and malnourished bodies.  The decision by Hooper to film all the singing live, assured an elevated athenticity to the production, and was consistently observed throughout the drama.

Russell Crowe was a major surprise, presenting himself as an unrelenting, cruel officer of the law.  His singing with all of it`s raw expression added a unique toughness from both his actions and song. 

For comic relief,  (a welcomed diversion from the serious tone) Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter  (Oscar nominated  for her portrayal of Queen  Elizabeth I  in The King’s Speech, Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland as well as Harry Potter films) are superb,  as the dodgy innkeepers Mr. and Mme. Thénardiers. They appear from time to time displaying their slapstick humour with ease. Helena, 46, plays the tarty and eccentric pick-pockets' wife, as  they scheme to keep the child Cosette for themselves.

The film lags somewhat in the middle, and remember, its length is close to three hours of singing –however,  like the play and the 1200-page book there’s plenty to keep the audience entertained.

The  many close-ups are unrelenting,  but  successfully highlight the squalor of the times and the deep emotion of the characters.  The messages are clear...  love is  both sacred, and unjust; we possess an innate desire to battle for social justice and finally, we grapple with an unforgiving hope that a better life is worth fighting for.  Interestingly,  Hooper  also dangles a  common theme evident from his last film, The King’s Speech,  with man striving to be the best he can be.

 

Silver Linings Playbook a play by play of mental fun!

Bradley Cooper ( Hangover 1, 11), Jennifer Lawrence (Hunger Games, Winter's Bone) and Robert DeNiro deliver a delightful romantic comedy, that is both dramatic, and uplifting. A light peek into a dark illness,  Silver Linings offers a tale of an unlikely duo's attempts to march, errr dance that is... towards happiness and sanity.

Silver Linings...definately one for the Playbooks!

Silver Linings Playbook

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert De Niro
Directed by: David O. Russell
Written by: David O. Russell, (screenplay) and Matthew Quick (Novel)Vanessa
Released: December 2012 
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Synopsis:

A teacher, Pat (Bradley Cooper)  who is recently diagnosd as bipolar, is back home living with his parents having lost everything, following an eight-month stint in a mental hospital. He is determined to rekindle his relationship with his wife who has since left him, yet she has issued a retraining order against him. He develops an unlikely love/hate friendship complete with goals, disappointments, and surprises with his wife's widowed sister Tiffany, (Jennifer Lawrence) who is struggling with her own depression demons, after her husband recently died.

Trailer

Pat's goals include returning to work, and getting his wife back, after a major weight loss while in therapy. His homelife, however,  is far-removed from calm and soothing with his Philadelphia Eagles obsessed OCD father, (Robert De Niro) whose emotions regarding his team are expressed to the extreme, and has his own over the top mood swings.

 A stray from the more glamorous roles for Cooper, he accurately portrays a crumpled man, still grappling with anger issues and frustration that impact on all his relationships. 

 

Jennifer Lawrence shines in her portrayal immersed in conviction, and  is unpredictably blunt.  She is boisterous and irritating,  certainly not tolerating an ounce of crap from Pat, as she strives to include him in her life.  However, there is a warm and fuzzy lining to be discovered among their kooky situations. Though Lawrence has been memorable in films as diverse as "Winter's Bone" and "The Hunger Games,"  she emerges in this story displaying both a seasoned  humour, and  smooth charisma not yet observed from this actress.

Robert De Niro displays his manic personality with precision. His rants  minimize the severity of Pat's challenges, and cause the audience to ponder who has the worst psyche problems... father, son, or son's new friend. Silver Linings' two main characters explore a magical spirit in the other, goofy,  funny, yet heartwarming. Russell's writing and direction resides firmly in the way he delivers a comedy to his audience,  without misplacing with the sensitivity of mental illness and its challenges.

A Refreshing Attempt at Oiling a Rusty Romp: Hope Springs

Hope Springs is a warm comedy/drama/romance, tackling the age-old challenge of stale marriage, and how to attempt fixing things. Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, and Steve Carell do not disappoint in this not-so-easy quest, and deliver an entertaining diversion.

Hope Springs...Glimpsing Passion After 30 years?

Hope Springs... A Fun Jump Into Kickstarting an Unfun Marriage

Starring: Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, and Steve Carrell
Directed by: David Frankel
Written by: Vanessa Taylor 
Released: August 2012 
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Synopsis: A humourous examination of a  marriage void of any passion after 30 years, and the quest for a cure while embarking on week-long couples counseling course in Maine.

Trailer



 "Hope Springs" takes a refreshing peek at stale marriage, mixing humour, candidness, and some courage in trying to mend a fragile union.

Kay Jones, (Meryl Streep) and her accountant husband Arnold, (Tommy Lee Jones)  are empty nesters, robotic in their daily routine, and sadly barren of any hint passion in their marriage after 31 years. Their  lives have become a is a dismal, mundane display of marriage, void of any affection and even interest. Arnold, primarily  a grumpy old man,  and is seems to only desire television instructional golf programming and his job, and drifts to sleep each night in his recliner.They sleep in separate beds , and only Kay seems frustrated with the situation but no indicators of anything wrong from Arnold.

Kay picks up a book at the bookstore about marriage advice, and after pondering its content, firmly decides that a week of counselling from the author of the book, Dr. Feld, (Steve Carrell), is the only possible resolution for her marriage duldrums. She pays for herself and Arnold for a week-long  marriage course at Feld’s office in a Maine called Hope Springs, and proceeds to tell her husband that the trip is booked, and she expects he will attend. Arnold reluctantly accompanies her bringing his no-point attitude in tow.

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The actors illuminate rather simple content, working sarcasm, and wit with ease. Carrell shines in his bluntness, yet does not overpower the main characters.
The action is occasionally awkward,  although there’s no nudity to speak of.  The fun moments are many, and the story is light, easy and uncomplicated.

 The reason to see it is for Jones. He typically engages roles requiring strong, determined men, in control, and lots of action in the mix. (Men in Black I, II) With this role,  he explores a  character who seems unlike any other he has played and delivers it with courage.

As Kay and Arnold stumble toward  considering intimacy, a playful display of their acting prowess emerges, rarely observed in Streep and practically never in Jones. Rather his signature rigid persona dissolves, into grins and tenderness. 

Hope Springs' sincere, considered, and unembarrassed exploration of mature sexuality marks a welcome exception, perhaps Hollywood's bold exploration of the aging population has been born.  A hilarious romp of tearing away the comfort zone, and examining the all too common scenarios many face in three plus decades of marriage.

 

Swimming Upstream with a Winner; Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

What a surprise! A refreshing humorous drama about love, environmental issues,  faith, sticky politics and a ``reel`` catch of a unique story!

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen; Casting a new Faith?

 Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Amr Waked and Kristen Scott Thomas

Directed by: Lasse Hallstrom

Written by: Simon Beaufov, (screenplay), Paul Torday (novel)

Released: March 2012
Genre: Drama, Romance, Comedy
 

Synopsis: A  sheik (Amr Waked) with unlimited financial resources has a vision to create a salmon fishing mecca  in a Middle Eastern desert and hires a reluctant fisheries expert Dr. Alfred Jones (Ewan McGregor) to realize his dream. He embarks on an upstream journey of faith, and fish, amidst a budding romance between the fisheries expert and a financial consultant.(Emily Blunt)

Trailer

Sheikh Muhammed believes his passion for the peaceful sport of salmon fly fishing can truly enrich the lives of his people in many ways  and is steadfastly determined to bring the pastime to his homeland in the Yemen. His British financial consultant, Harriet (Emily Blunt) is cast into figuring out the logistics of this far-fetched but intriguing task, and needs to make it a reality for the Sheik. The major stumbling block is convincing the professional fish expert, Dr. Jones to come on board with the project.  When he learns of the request, he regards the idea of salmon fish surviving in the desert as ludicrous.

However, the project takes a positive turn when the British Prime Minister's overzealous press secretary, Patricia Maxwell  (Scott Thomas) latches onto the whole idea as a "good will" political story worth high profile recognition in support of her boss.  She pressures the group to believe in the project for all the right reasons.

What is notable is the gamble of the director to present a drama about a sensitive political situation. Yet... it works and does so beautifully. Like a surprising olive branch extended from  the Middle East to Britain, a refreshing optimistic romantic comedy emerges with pensive moments in store when you least expect them. The film presents moments of insight, environmental issues, political drama, and complicated romance, combining to offer an entertaining, unusual story.


Blunt who has a new boyfriend recently deployed to Afghanistan delivers her over ambitious job tasks in a professional mode,  while snidely mocking her very awkward scientist partner. Yet she also offers a tenderness, and understanding for the scientist that is warm, and enduring. Dr. Jones, a reluctant goofy nerd, unfortunately saddled with a  lack-lustre marriage,  stumbles into this unlikely assignment offering adventure to his life.   He delivers the realistic science and environmental platform for the film whilst also hinting of a possible attraction. His serious, dry personality is in stark contrast to Harriet`s bubbly innocence. The eccentric Sheik is very convincing, portraying someone very aware, with both with his intuition and wit. A humourous, feel good film Salmon Fishing in the Yemen flows gracefully, while also unpredictably as a catch of fish. Best film of 2012 so far!