Les Miserables (1998)
Average Rating: 6.9/10
Reviews Counted: 43
Fresh: 32 | Rotten: 11
This intelligent, handsomely crafted adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel condenses the story's developments without blunting its emotional impact.
Average Rating: 6.6/10
Critic Reviews: 11
Fresh: 6 | Rotten: 5
This intelligent, handsomely crafted adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel condenses the story's developments without blunting its emotional impact.
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Average Rating: 3.6/5
User Ratings: 37,373
Movie Info
Bille August directed this Rafael Yglesias adaptation of the 1862 classic by Victor Hugo (1802-1885) about the quest of Inspector Javert to capture escaped convict Jean Valjean, originally an honest man who was jailed for stealing a single loaf of bread to feed the family of his starving sister. This new interpretation of Hugo's epic begins with Valjean (Liam Neeson), released after 20 years of cruelties and hard labor, reporting for parole in Dijon. Stopping at a bishop's house, he's treated
May 1, 1998 Wide
Nov 3, 1998
NCM/Fathom
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Cast
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Liam Neeson
Jean Valjean -
Geoffrey Rush
Javert -
Uma Thurman
Fantine -
Claire Danes
Cosette -
Hans Matheson
Marius -
Reine Brynolfsson
Captain Beauvais -
Peter Vaughan
Bishop -
Mimi Newman
Cosette (age 8) -
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Toby Jones
Door Keeper -
-
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All Critics (43) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (11) | DVD (6)
Without a doubt the most emotionally powerful and handsomely mounted production of the story yet.
Top CriticThe movie's whole virtuous conception of Jean Valjean sticks in my craw. He's haunted and hunted, but he reeks of a reasoned, noble superiority that's a pretty sterile quality in the hero of an epic.
With a first-rate cast and a venerable storytelling style, it fluently condenses Victor Hugo's epic novel and retrieves some of its suspenseful momentum.
Towering over the entire film is Liam Neeson, the Irish actor who seems at home in any kind of picture, whether it transpires in contemporary America, World War II Germany, or centuries-ago Scotland.
It never sinks, but it never really soars either, though here and there it hits a powerful moment.
It contains the moments of high drama, clearly outlines all the motivations, is easy to follow and lacks only passion. A story filled with outrage and idealism becomes somehow merely picturesque.
Neeson's is an outstanding, memorable Jean Valjean who does a mighty job of anchoring this film and keeping its drama earthy and humane.
I feel like saying I hate this movie. I really don't. I was just bored out of my mind by its lack of anything real.
[An] attractive, solid rendering of this popular classic.
A beautiful testament to the strength of the human spirit. This version of Les Miserables is a triumph for everyone involved.
The new version is a traditional telling of the story, and there is nothing wrong with tradition.
Somewhere, Victor Hugo must be rolling in his grave.
With a group like this, and with Hugo's literature, who could lose?
Victor Hugo's great novel Les Miserables has been translated to screen at least five times before. Leave it to Liam Neeson to make a sixth seem indispensable.
August's film won't make you forget the musical or the many previous movie versions, but an entertaining, stirring version of Hugo's tale of social justice is always welcome.
Illustrates the redemptive power of forgiveness and the destructive consequences of self-hate.
August never manages to build any real momentum or urgency to pull the story along -- it's more like he wades through it, moving from one set-piece to the next with deliberate care.
It's not that this is a bad film, after all it does have fine actors and it is based on a great story. It just doesn't live up to its predecessors.
there's nothing glaringly wrong with August's film, and several of the performances are terrific. Why then does it seem about as engaging as a well-written book report?
irtually every scene feels muted, the passions tamed to a state of dignified dissatisfaction.
Much of what I enjoyed of the novel was missing, but then it should come as no great surprise that not all 1600 pages of story would make it to the screen.
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Movie: ID: 10311 Title: Les Miserables Release Date: 1998-05-01 00:00:00.0 MPAA: 3 Status: 1
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Foreign Titles
- Les Miserables the 25th Anniversary Encore (DE)
- Les Miserables the 25th Anniversary Encore (UK)
