I went with my son to see Les Miserables on the afternoon of December 26. The house was full and the audience full of fans. I knew this because the audience broke out in spontaneous applause at the end of the film!!!!

I liked but did not love Les Mis. I've probably always liked but not loved it. I've seen it on Broadway in NYC and on the road in Philadelphia. My husband's never really enjoyed it.

Hugh Jackman is fine in the role of Jean Valjean who was imprisoned for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's children. The movie employs live singing so they recorded the actors while filming the scene. They were going for the raw emotion. I like raw emotion, but I would actually have liked The Prayer, Bring Him Home to be a little more on key. It's a really beautiful song.

Much is said of Anne Hathaway winning the Oscar for her portrayal of the hapless Fantine. She definitely played it raw and ugly.

Then poor Russell Crowe. He has the unsympathetic role of the Law and Order obsessed Javert. He also commits suicide with a thunk that made my son chuckle. I don't think he was as bad at singing as the critics said.

The implausibilities of the plot were in the book. Let's see a girl on the street one time and happily ever will be possible because your prospective father-in-law joins the futile revolutionists' stand in order to save your life for his daughter. Plus if they were going to complain about vocals, Cosette's were not exactly pleasing.

Not a fan of Sascha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter's portrayals (who look like they ran over from Sweeny Todd on break) of the innkeeper's who cared for Cosette and were the parents of the ill-fated Eponine.

I you like musicals in general or Les Mis in specific I would recommend this film. It's not perfect. Nothing is, but I thought it was enjoyable.