Anne Hathaway Owes Me $14

[Gothampc]

Anne Hathaway should be arrested for murder. Murdering the signature song "I Dreamed A Dream" in Les Miserables. Obviously Anne didn't pay attention in acting class. Lesson number one is you don't play the end at the beginning. There's a reason why the lyrics say "BUT the tigers come at night." It signals the actress that there is to be a change in the tone of the song. The song is titled I dreamed a dream, not I cried through a dream. And I love how when she's in the hospital and she sings "Cosette it's growing cold" and then coughs twice to make sure we understand how sick she really is.

Overall I was a bit disappointed with the movie. I thought it would be more epic than it was. I thought that none of the main actors rose to the quality of the material (Amanda Seyfried is excused because Cosette is a poorly written role that you can't do much with.)

I thought Samantha Barks was the most truthful of the actors and her only real problem was that she was poorly directed.

Hugh Jackman was ok. I believed his ValJean, but there wasn't enough energy behind his acting.

Russell Crowe acted like a piece of wood from the barricade. No passion at all.

Eddie Redmayne was ok, but miscast. Not dashing enough.

Sasha and Helena did the best they could, but once again I think they were victims of poor direction. I think Tom Hooper squeezed all the fun out of "Master of the House" with all that jumpy camera work.

It seems Hooper is great at little bits of business, like the Santa at the end of Master of the House, but he just doesn't know how to pull together an entire film. Also, the eye behind Jackman when he's singing the prayer was a bit too obvious.

And I wonder if the cast was paid by the number of tears they shed, because every character cries at some point. This was the weepiest Les Miserables I've ever seen.

What they did get right:

the ending when [spoiler alert] Valjean walks toward the priest. I could never figure out why Eponine was in that moment and it makes much more sense for him to walk to the priest, thereby closing the circle that the priest claimed him for God at the beginning.

Little Cosette was great and I love how she has the doll whisper in her ear on the line "Cosette I love you very much".

[Blockhead24]

this really needed its own thread?

[Gothampc]

"this really needed its own thread?"

Yes, as a matter of fact it did.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

I thought lesson number one was (is) to make choices?


This could've gone in the other thread.

[qolbinau]

I don't quite understand your argument. The beginning of Hathaway's I DREAMED A DREAM is very obviously her reflecting on when she was happy/her life was 'good', but then "It all went wrong". The subtext of the phrase "I dreamed a dream" is not an inspirational one. It's mostly hopeless, except perhaps some hope that "he'll come to [her]", although she knows it's a pipe dream.

[dramamama611]

So, where Barks went wrong is a directorial issue. But since you didn't like Hathaway, it's HER shortcomings?

[best12bars]

Anne was great! I loved her performance.

Wait, should I start another thread about that? Is that how it works?

[JP2]

Apparently Anne strapped a gun to your head and forced you to shell out $14.

[My Oh My]

And someone put a gun to his/her head to start a new thread, even though there is one already entitled, "LES MIS - SO, WHAT DID YA THINK?????????????"

[best12bars]

I think Goth owes each of us $14 for reading this thread.

[sabrelady]

^^^^
What Best-y sez.

[Gothampc]

"The beginning of Hathaway's I DREAMED A DREAM is very obviously her reflecting on when she was happy/her life was 'good', but then "It all went wrong".

See I didn't get that. I don't think she sustained the reflection long enough. All the lyrics about "I was young and unafraid, dream made, used, wasted, no ransom to be paid..." should all be reflection.

Anne hits the emotional climax too early in the song and has no where to take it at the end. She's wringing tears through most of it. With the intimacy of film, I think she could have done more with the song.

[Wishing Only Wounds]

I don't know why I'm indulging you, but did you go to the bathroom during "so different now, from what it seems..."? Her losing her breath and starting to choke on tears was one of the most genuine and moving things I've ever seen on a movie screen. I think the new placement of the song was enough of a set up, she just went off with it.

[henrikegerman]

How could she owe you the entire $14 when she dies 1/3 of the way through the movie?

[ReggieonBway]

Well this thread is ridiculous. Your elementary understanding of acting as craft aside, Anne did a fantastic job with the song. Crying is only climax for actors who fake externals.

[Wynbish]

How could she owe you the entire $14 when she dies 1/3 of the way through the movie?

This.

That's less than $4.70.

[Gothampc]

"Her losing her breath and starting to choke on tears was one of the most genuine and moving things I've ever seen on a movie screen."

And if "so different know" was the first time she did it, then it would be fine. But the whole thing is sung thin voiced and teary.

[RooMcGoo]

I agree.
An Incomplete History of Les Miserables

[My Oh My]

Chick ate crumbs for a month and became skeletal to reach such a state of misery, and you want her to happily reflect? XD

[RENT_is_Wicked2]

Anne was crying because she DREAMED A DREAM that she had a better life, her life is hell Nd she has gone through so much just for her child. If I were her, I'd be crying just like she did during that song.

[Wynbish]

[Gothampc]

Hathaway is an above the title name singing THE most popular song from the musical. She didn't deliver. There are several actresses that could have blown Hathaway's performance right off the screen.

[FindingNamo]

I'm happy to engage in this thread pro bono. I think they were weepy cuz it has "miserable" in the title.

[Gothampc]

Roo, LOL at that Youtube clip.

[Gothampc]

As Forbidden Broadway said: It's less miserable than other shows.

[sabrelady]

There are several actresses that could have blown Hathaway's performance right off the screen.


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* stops bcoz can't...catch....breath.....*