Victor Hugos “Les Misérables” has competition, and it’s 2019s “Les Misérables”
Les Misérables is a French film (nominated for Best International Feature at The Oscars) that could easily be mistaken as another adaptation for the famous Victor Hugo novel. Make no mistake, this is wholeheartedly its own thing and the only similarity it has to the novel is that it gets quoted. This is a French film about the police brutality in France and just how needlessly brutal and unfair the authorities can be there. So it’s safe to say that this is not only an important film, but an angry one.
The Positives
Director Ladj Ly brings such an unexpected energy to this film. It’s not a conventional type of energy, due to the very sharp and intense dialogue. The way people banter with one another make it impossible to look away from the screen. Everyone’s always yelling at each other until one or the other gets out of hand, and what makes it more heart-pounding is that you can understand both sides. This kind of banter goes on and on until someone decides “we may have gone too far with this.” It all leads up to a climatic third act that I won’t dare spoil for you here, but it’s the definition of riveting. I left the theater in shocked silence. I hear people are comparing this to La Haine and Training Day, and you can definitely see that’s where the inspiration came from in terms of story, but this whole thing just felt like it stood on its own two feet. It feels like Ladj Ly was just legitimately angry and wanted to make this.
The way Ly uses cinematography and sound for these scenes of confrontation and chaos is so beautiful as well. The way he uses close-up and handheld on these scenes was so effective and uncomfortable; he makes you feel like you’re the one getting harassed by these cops. He uses a dolly and steady cam for scenes with people running as if you’re sprinting with them. He even uses crane shots and it’s wholeheartedly effective to show staggering scale.
The performances here are off the charts. The good cop (Damien Bonnard) is so interesting to watch — the way he delivers his lines and his facial expressions when things go out of hand was absolutely fantastic. However, the show-stealer was Alexis Manenti. He’s the very clear villain of the film (the bad cop) and he’s able to pull off this disgusting, heartless, horrible man to a tee. He makes SURE you absolutely despise him by the end of the film and he pulls it off without a hitch.
The Negatives
The only thing about Les Miserables that bothered me was just that the first act isn’t as interesting as the second act and the third act. It is mainly just getting to know the three cops and following them as they go around harassing people. I know you need to develop these characters, but it just bored me. It felt very repetitive and too slow. I wish it just had the consistent energy that the second and third act had. Fortunately, the second and last act take up most of the run time.
The Representation
In terms of representation, the film is very diverse. The film is written and directed by Ladj Ly, who is a black man, and he focuses on the racist behavior against the French black community undertaken by law enforcement. The people that are mistreated always fight back for what’s right, and never back down. The two good cops in the film are people of color and they always stand up, call out, and stop a racist fellow cop for his behavior and try to make him get what he deserves. They’re both really strong, kind, and understanding people who see the flaws in their occupation as policemen and try to be the change they want to see. It’s very inspiring.
Conclusion
Les Misérables is a film you can’t miss. It’s truly an important film that needs to be seen, as it deals with the abuse of authority and police brutality to a disturbing level. It is something that is still going on today and Ladj Ly is clearly very passionate and angry about it. Although it’s slow within the first 35–40 minutes, please believe me when I say it picks up. Oh boy, does it pick up. Go watch it!
