I am forever Changed!!

I have always been a fan of Les Miserables. As you may know, the original story was a novel by Victor Hugo, published in the 1860's.   I loved the movie version with Liam Neeson as Jean Val Jean.  The story touches me in ways I have had a hard time explaining. It has been a novel, a mini series on the radio produced by the great Orson Welles, TV Miniseries, musicals, even a Japanese TV series called Inochimoyu. The story has been done over and over. So when I went for my Christmas present, I wasn't sure what to expect.

I went on Wednesday as a Christmas gift from my 15 year old son. Through out the experience I was constantly crying.  At one point I looked over at him, he too had tears in his eyes reflected by the light on the screen. He hates things emotional. What 15 year guy doesn't?  So after the experience I asked him what he thought about it.  He told me it was the best movie he ever saw. High praise for a guy that loves Call of Duty: black ops or Assassins Creed III. He said that it was powerful. So we talked about it for awhile afterward. He loved the character of Jean Valjean, my son wants to be a really good man.  It changed his view about religion too. He normally questions it with his scientific mind. He saw how powerful on a persons life it can be. He watched Bishop Myriel restore Jean Valjeans faith, and forever change his life. Nick was angry and touched by Fantine's journey in trying to care for her daughter and how she was mistreated. So if I had no other feelings for the movie, that would have been enough for me.

That said, I was so moved by the movie it affected me the rest of the day.  The movie it's self is so well done, it should have more than 4 Golden Globe nominations.  It will be a contender for Oscar night too.  I think definitely Ann Hathaway as Fantine and Hugh Jackman as Jean ValJean should be named. Russel Crowe did amazing job as the nemesis Javert. A surprise for me was in the performances of Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter as Thenardier and Madam Thenardier, the corrupt inkeepers that cared for Fantine's daughter Cosette. They were one of the lighter parts of the movie, and there were not many. They registered stupid more than corrupt. Samantha Barks played Eponine their daughter. That actress did an amazing part as the girl who loved Marius (Eddie Redmayne), while he pined for the 17 year old Cossette (the wonderful Amanda Seyfried).  The acting in this movie was superb as was the singing.  In fact Amanda Seyfried was trained vocally in the technique she used to make her voice sound so young. It was beautiful.

There is another part of the movie for me that was thrilling, and moving.  The struggle of Jean Valjean to be completely transformed to a loving, caring honest man after all he had experienced. Like my son I was motivated by his journey, and the quality he tried to have. I also thought he was able to reinvent himself over and over because of his faith in God and his ability to go back to the convent as needed. It was as if he could go home again and recharge his batteries. The reason for this being thrilling to me is that when I hear of transformations now, they are usually being said about some new age philosophy. As a new-ager I think we forget that our greatest journeys are about how we treat our fellow beings and what kind of humans we are. It is one of my struggles also.

So the movie was magnificent. the music was good, the actors brilliant and the story timeless. If you have a chance to, go see it, I think it could remind you of what it is to be human. I have known humans that on the outside look good to the world, but on the inside they are unkind and judgmental.  Javert reminded me why being with the law is important, but being human and flawed is where the joy and love are.