I am SO glad that I didn’t see Les Misérables in the movie theaters because then I would have given it my undivided attention and been more critical, but because I watched it at home and the filmmakers didn’t mess with a classic story, Victor Hugo’s awesomeness carried me past some not so great singing voices and the plague of close ups and shaky cams. As someone who was obsessed with the original Broadway production and the novel (so is it normal to have friends sing the entire musical in their dorm rooms in college?), I accepted the drama starring Liam Neeson, but I knew that I did not NEED a film of the musical WITHOUT THE ORIGINAL CAST. Once well-known actors were cast, I despaired. Seriously where were the people from the wedding on YouTube? I stand by my original assessment-Les Misérables would have been better with stronger singers and actors less famous than Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe. Jackman and Crowe used the resort of actors with limited vocal range-if you can’t hit the note, use your emotion and sing/say it softly. And it broke my heart every time that it happened because each time it happened, I realized how good the original musical was. Once Les Misérables hit 1832, I thought who cares because the story is still excellent. I could overlook the flaws and was openly crying. If it wasn’t for this latest adaptation of Les Misérables, I probably would not have listened to the entire (not as good as the original) soundtrack in one sitting. I probably haven’t done so in decades. Of course, there were quite a few actors who had serious singing chops (Eddie Redmayne and Samantha Banks) or enough chutzpah to make the part their own (Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen). I do want an injunction against Amanda Seyfried ever singing again-even in the shower. Just no. Anne Hathaway did her job, and I know that people were wild about her performance. I think that people expect her to do badly or kind of hate her so when she does well (for example, she executed a solid action role, but not a transcendent Catwoman per se in The Dark Knight Rises), people over praise her. She did well. I am not knocking her or saying that she is the herald of a new day and age. She has not made me an unequivocal fan yet-see my comments about Matthew McConaughey in the last year BEFORE True Detective. Not saying that it won’t happen, but the jury is still out. Les Misérables should be enjoyed in the following order: the book, the original Broadway musical, the Liam Neeson drama and then this production. No more adaptations, please, I’m full.