The most inevitable post in blogging history

I went to see Les Mis yesterday, this is the post we all knew was coming. I've decided against any attempt to write a review as it will just become fangirly and meaningless to everyone. Instead I'm going to address the main concern raised before the film came out, the casting. It was a cinema production from day one so no one really expected west end/Broadway stars to be playing the main characters, but nevertheless the singing talent of the cast was understandably questioned. Now the film is out I give my opinion on what the answer to those questions should be, or it might turn into a character by character analysis, we shall see. Obviously I'll talk about the film as well, how could I not? It was just amazing!.. Moving on. This list is in the order they are on IMDB, if you think someone should be mentioned earlier, don't complain to me (if it was up to me, Eponine would first, and second... and the rest)
On and while we're here, if you don't want any spoilers, stop reading now.

Hugh Jackman- Jean Valjean

I'm sure I was not alone in thinking "Wolverine in a really sad musical? That can't work!" Oh how wrong we were! Jackman is brilliant, he plays the conflicted but unyielding compassion of Valjean brilliantly. He isn't as powerful a singer as the people who have played him on stage but he is one of the best singers in the film and he makes full use of the way cinema allows him to show every powerful emotion. "Who am I?" was so brilliantly full of turmoil and fear. Despite the fact he was singing all the time, Valjean is a totally believable character, his interactions with Javert are all tense and emotional. The scene where Javert is released from the rebels is brilliantly shot and acted, it perfectly shows both the similarities and differences between the two men. Both have an unwavering dedication to do what they believe is right, the only difference is their motivation. Valjean seeks to please god by helping others to repay his sins, Javert is driven by his duty to the law and the conviction of duty. It is one of the best scenes in the film and shows off just how good a Valjean Hugh Jackman is.

Russell Crowe- Javert

Although technically the 'bad guy' of the film, it is impossible to bear a grudge against Javert. All he ever does is his duty, what he believes to be right. I didn't believe Russell Crowe could pull off Javert, I didn't think he could sing it well enough and I could see how easy it would be to make Javert a hateful and evil character. Thankfully I was again surprised by the brilliant performance. When Javert places the medal on Gavroche I almost cried (for the second time) Javert is not a mindless soldier like so many characters are made to make other films a world of simple black and white, he is very human. It's the conflict between his humanity and his duty that eventually drives Javert to his death. The way that both "Stars" and "Javert's suicide" are shot is beautifully paralleled, while the songs are polar opposites. During Stars Javert sings of his clear, focused, unchanging dedication to the law and his duty. Then his life is spared by Valjean and he is torn between his duty to take a fugitive into custody, and repaying the debt he owes the man who freed him, despite Javert hounding him for well over a decade. The actual shots for both are breathtaking, but I'll let you see that for yourself.

Anne Hathaway- Fantine

I wasn't too worried about this one, I certainly thought Anne Hathaway would make a better Fantine than catwoman. I was right, she may spend most of the time crying but you can't expect anything else. Fantine is possibly the most pitiful character in all of creation, but that takes nothing away from the depth of the character, you feel truly sorry for Fantine, something about the way Anne Hathaway plays her really works. She doesn't really live long enough for me to say much more. Fantine is brilliant because no matter how bad her life gets, and it gets pretty awful, she takes nothing for herself and does everything for her daughter.

Amanda Seyfried- Cosette

I'll be honest with you, I don't like Cosette, young Cosette has to deal with the abuse from the Thenardiers and has some depth to her. Then Valjean adopts her and she grows up to be pretty much a non-character. I remember her role in the film simply because when I think about there remains a Cosette shaped  hole in the plot. On top of that, I don't think Amanda Seyfried is anywhere near attractive enough to have the effect on Marius that she does, nor is she well trained enough to sing soprano. Even when done well Cosette is a vapid waste of space, unfortunately in the case of this film, she is not done well.

Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter- The Thenardiers

If Javert is the bad guy you can't hate, then these two are the comedy duo you cannot like. While they do perform the greatest and funniest version of "Master of the House" ever, they then manage to play both characters so well I wanted to hit them both rather hard, as it should be. The Thenardiers are terrible people, abusive to both Cosette and Eponine, thieves, looters, blackmailers. They are brilliantly acted to a point of total loathing (remember this is HBC we're talking about, to make me hate that takes a talent that only she herself possesses... *ahem* moving on) I say they're a comedy duo but honestly they made me properly angry. The characters as characters are amazing, as people they are worse than anyone else in the film. Most of the characters in the film have a morally justifiable drive behind their actions, duty, redemption, family, etc.  for the Thenardiers? Money, nothing else matters to them, they are just hideous people, perfectly acted.

Eddie Redmayne- Marius  

I had no idea who Eddie Redmayne was before seeing Les Mis, so I had no preconceptions going into it. My only comparison is Nick Jonas so with that standard to live up to, Redmayne is god on earth. Speaking generally though, he is a pretty good Marius. Not a bad singer, not a bad actor. Marius is a bit thick for not noticing Eponine, but other than that Marius is a pretty good guy. His gamble on the barricade saved (well, slightly extended) the lives of everyone else there... Except Eponine, which leads me to the question: Why the hell were "A Little Fall of Rain" and "Drink With Me" not properly in the film? But I digress, Redmayne is a very good Marius, giving him proper depth and emotion, so much so that I even believe his interest in his two dimensional wife

Aaron Tevit- Enjolras

Another guy I hadn't heard of, another very good actor. A very restrained and level Enjolras but still with all the passion and spirit he should have. Enjolras's death was one of the best scenes in the film. It was brilliant and terrible in equal measure. From the first shot at Gavroche right to the point Enjolras falls out of the window it's one of the most moving and horrific scenes in the film.

Samantha Barks- Eponine 

Before I get all fangirly over Sam's Eponine, can we all just take a moment to pause and give thanks that this brilliant role was not given to Taylor Swift, ok lets go: Samantha Barks is fucking amazing as Eponine! This woman singing "On my own" is the only thing that has made me cry in years, she is just that good. Eponine is one of the best characters in anything ever and Samantha Barks plays her perfectly. Everything that ever happens to Eponine is fucking awful, yet she dies with a smile on her face. I cannot for the life of me understand how anyone can not be in love with Eponine, yet Marius manages to not even notice that she is in love with him! Seriously, that's a whole new level of retarded. Eponine deserved so much and ended up dying with nothing.