By Cambria Kelly and Rosie Lu
If you know musicals at all, Les Misérables is an unavoidable watch—it’s one of those films people reference constantly, and for good reason. But what surprised me is that, beyond all the hype, it hits on a really relatable level. Tom Hooper’s 2012 film adaptation brings the beloved stage musical to the screen and largely upholds its legendary reputation.
At its core, it’s about second chances. Jean Valjean starts as someone the world has completely disregarded, and the whole story follows him as he tries to become better than what his past says he is, primarily through a firm belief in Catholicism. He’s compassionate, self-sacrificing, and constantly choosing others over himself–truly the moral heart of the film. Watching him constantly struggle between staying safe and doing what’s right gives Les Mis its emotional weight, and you can’t help but love his character.
Then there’s Javert, who plays the role of a morally rigid and deeply principled antagonist. He wholeheartedly believes he’s doing the right thing by upholding the law, no matter what—in his mind, he too is only doing what’s right. The tension between him and Valjean isn’t just personal: it’s ideological. Mercy versus justice. The law versus compassion. The film never gives you an easy answer about who’s truly in the right.
Fantine’s storyline shows the devastating impact of poverty and societal judgment. Everything she does is for Cosette, yet she’s punished at every turn, making her arc one of the most heartbreaking in the plot. Cosette, in contrast, represents hope and the possibility of a gentler future. Raised in hardship but given love and protection by Valjean, she grows into a kind, optimistic person. Together, they highlight both the cruelty and the compassion that exist within the same world.
What makes Les Misérables stand out is how layered it feels. It’s not just about one person or one isolated struggle—it’s a sweeping story about many intersecting lives under the weight of injustice. You see poverty and injustice through Fantine, innocence and hope through Cosette, idealism and passion through Marius and the students. Everyone represents a different path to survival in a society that doesn’t treat people equally. Within this context of conflicting personal values, the revolutionary basis of the film reinforces the idea that these personal struggles are happening within a much larger, deeply broken system.
And yes, the music is a huge part of my love for this production. The songs carry the emotion of the scenes in a way dialogue alone likely couldn’t. Some moments are quiet and intimate, others feel overwhelming and intense. It’s structured almost like an opera, so everything flows continuously, which makes it easy to get absorbed in the story without breaks pulling you out. Songs like “Do You Hear the People Sing” provide a powerful anthem of unity and resistance, turning personal frustration into collective hope. Other iconic numbers like “I Dreamed a Dream” and “One Day More” deepen the emotional impact–one capturing raw personal despair, the other building tension and anticipation as every storyline collides at once.
Musicals are frequently dismissed as melodramatic or overly emotional, and the bloodshed of the 1832 June Rebellion that Les Mis displays certainly cannot escape this broad stereotype–after all, the misery is literally in the name. But that realism is what makes it hit so hard. The production shows the unfair outcomes of morally good choices, not to promote pessimism, but to prove that just as important as it is to be righteous, you can’t always win immediately by doing so.
Although Les Misérables is set in 19th-century France, the themes—inequality, justice, systemic poverty, and political unrest—are still very present today. When the music ends, that so-called misery this film depicts leaves us with a historically recurring message—the countless sacrifices of those willing to die nameless for the greater good are what truly change oppressive societies. Through an insightful emotional lens, we are able to experience those choices through the beautifully written characters and carry the lessons they learn into our own lives.