Les Misérables

Name: Les Misérables
Released: January 10, 2020
Duration: 102 min
Rating: 78
Cast: Alexis Manenti, Damien Bonnard, Djibril Zonga, Jeanne Balibar

2020

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Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 53 Ratings

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6.6

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6.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 53 Ratings

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Les Miserables (US Trailer 1)

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Movie Details & Credits

Amazon Studios | Release Date: January 10, 2020 | Not Rated

Starring: Alexis Manenti, Damien Bonnard, Djibril Zonga, Jeanne Balibar

Summary: Stephane, only just arrived from Cherbourg, joins the anti criminality brigade of Montfermeil in a sensitive district of the Paris suburbs. Paired up with Chris and Gwada whose methods are sometimes "special" he rapidly discovers the tensions between the various neighborhood groups. When an arrest starts to get out of hand, a drone isStephane, only just arrived from Cherbourg, joins the anti criminality brigade of Montfermeil in a sensitive district of the Paris suburbs. Paired up with Chris and Gwada whose methods are sometimes "special" he rapidly discovers the tensions between the various neighborhood groups. When an arrest starts to get out of hand, a drone is filming every move they make.… Expand

Director: Ladj Ly

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 102 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Joe Morgenstern

Jan 10, 2020

The film becomes an enthralling, edifying, terrifying, sometimes funny and improbably stirring portrait of a multiethnic, polycultural cauldron where fury against injustice and neglect hovers near the boiling point. Read full review

Josh Kupecki

Jan 15, 2020

The way Ly and cinematographer Julien Poupard choreograph the film is amazing, especially the third act, which can be breathless at times. Read full review

The Playlist Caroline Tsai

May 20, 2019

Ly makes it hard to paint these characters in broad strokes, no matter how we might try. Read full review

Jonathan Romney

May 20, 2019

For all its familiarity, Ly’s film is executed with enormous confidence and energy, building up to an apocalyptic ending that delivers on a gradual build-up of nervous tension. Read full review

Mick LaSalle

Jan 15, 2020

As a slice of life, Les Misérables is satisfying enough, but as the film wears on, the movie goes beyond the slice of life. It steers in the direction of drama and consequences, as the story narrows, and pressures come to a boil. Read full review

Jake Coyle

Jan 9, 2020

Ly’s film excels in its lively verisimilitude, its terrific cast and its intensity. Les Miserables is a powder keg, always at risk of detonating. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

May 20, 2019

The director may want to confront these issues head on – the racism and violence just below the surface. Indeed, raising it above the surface is the point. But much of the drama and humanity get blitzed by the molotov cocktails. Read full review

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User Reviews

VonSeux

Apr 24, 2020

Brutal movie. Echoes City of God but surprisingly its right on the heart of EU. For anyone interested on social inequalities this movie is as revealing as a documentary, also directed by someone that comes from the background it descripts so you feel is no bull.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Shadaha

Feb 11, 2020

Gripping to the point that it had me pinned in my chair when the screen went black, shaken and speechless. Evaluating from a place of pure emotion, this was the best film of the year.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Brent_Marchant

Jan 25, 2020

This stunning urban crime drama based on themes first introduced in the classic Victor Hugo novel of the same name provides a gritty contemporary twist on the notions of liberty, equality, fraternity and social justice (and their all-too-frequent absence) all these many years later. DirectorThis stunning urban crime drama based on themes first introduced in the classic Victor Hugo novel of the same name provides a gritty contemporary twist on the notions of liberty, equality, fraternity and social justice (and their all-too-frequent absence) all these many years later. Director Ladj Ly's Oscar-nominated offering for best foreign language film hits hard, seldom holding anything back and showing viewers a side of Paris rarely seen. With its fine performances, excellent cinematography and compelling electronic soundtrack by Pink Noise, the film captivates as it works its way through an increasingly tense narrative that leaves as many questions open as it resolves. This version of "Les Miserables" may not superficially resemble any of those that have preceded it, but it leaves an impact just as emotionally powerful -- if not more so -- than any of its predecessors, bringing Hugo's message into the present and shoving it squarely in our faces.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

GLADIADOR

Jan 26, 2020

Filme bom, que fala sobre a criminalidade e racismo que existem na frança, sem fala do comportamento dos policiais

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

fiftywordreview

Feb 3, 2020

Slow moving but engaging, Les Misérables is a well-crafted modern take on Victor Hugo’s classic novel. Ultimately a police procedural, the story often feels familiar, but strong performances from complex characters will hold your attention through the film’s intense final act.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

GreatMartin

Jan 31, 2020

Anyone expecting to see Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables" whether the novel, the several films in theatres and on TV or the recent hit musical on stage and in film will be disappointed even though there is a Hugo quote and it takes place in the Parisian suburb of Montfermeil, an important partAnyone expecting to see Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables" whether the novel, the several films in theatres and on TV or the recent hit musical on stage and in film will be disappointed even though there is a Hugo quote and it takes place in the Parisian suburb of Montfermeil, an important part of the book. Also, women play very minor roles and there is no Fantine or Cosette.

The main story is that of a policeman, Stephane (played by Damien Bonnard) who joins the Anti-Crime Squad in Montfermeil teaming with Gwada (Djebril Zonga) and Chris (Alexis Manenti) and he is introduced to the many different groups from an African crime boss called 'The Mayor' (Steve Tientcheu) to Zorro (Raymond Lopez) the leader of a group of gypsies with a traveling circus, Salah (Almamy Kanoute)restaurant owner and Pasteur Marcello Tunasi as the leader of a Muslim group.

Very much involved with the adults are a couple of gangs of kids surviving the best way they can. At first we see them in the opening sequence of the movie reveling in their support of the French World Cup team contrasting with the way they live every day. The main youngster is Issa Perica who gives a strong performance as Issa, the one who gets everything in motion and gets the film off its slow start. Another young actor, Al-Hassan Ly, as Buzz, is into drones and not only provides the director Ladj Ly and the director of photography Julien Poupard with some beautiful shots while ugliness is at the heart of the screenplay written by Ly, Giordano Gederlini and Alexis Manenti but he is pivotal to what happens to everyone.

"Les Miserables" is a good film but obviously the first film based on a shorter film that he made which may explain why there are so many, too many, things, subjects and ideas thrown into this one instead of using some of the topics in his next film.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Mauro_Lanari

Aug 15, 2020

(Mauro Lanari)
Hugo can still be quoted today since social problems have proved unsolvable, perhaps due to the possibility that they derive from deeper, anthropological or even metaphysical roots. At that level would they be healable? We don't know, no one is trying anymore, and therefore(Mauro Lanari)
Hugo can still be quoted today since social problems have proved unsolvable, perhaps due to the possibility that they derive from deeper, anthropological or even metaphysical roots. At that level would they be healable? We don't know, no one is trying anymore, and therefore here are the parlors of indignation for something destined to propose itself again and again "in saecula saeculorum" ("La Haine", Kassovitz 1995; "City of God", Meirelles 2002, "Snowpiercer" and "Parasite", Bong Joon-ho 2013 and 2019, or backwards towards neorealism: Spike Lee, Ken Loach, "Bicycle Thieves", De Sica 1948).… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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