Have you ever watched a musical where nearly every line is sung, and still felt every beat of the story?

Les Misérables, directed by Tom Hooper and released in 2012, is one of those films. It adapts the hit stage musical based on Victor Hugo's novel, and it aims straight for the heart.

It is big, sincere and full of emotion, though not every choice works. Here is what makes it worth watching, where it stumbles and who will enjoy it most.

A Man Given a Second Chance

The film opens with Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), released after 19 years in prison, a sentence that began with stealing a loaf of bread for his sister's starving child. His journey from bitter convict to a man capable of great love and sacrifice drives the whole story.

The opening, with prisoners hauling a ship into dock in pouring rain, sets the scale right away. Jackman carries the film with real commitment, and the early scenes show poverty as a force that wears people down and leaves them unseen.

Javert and the Question of Justice

Russell Crowe plays Inspector Javert, a man who believes the law is absolute and any deviation must be punished. His pursuit of Valjean becomes the film's central clash: can justice allow mercy, or is it only punishment?

Crowe brings a stern, steady presence to the role, but his singing divided viewers. His voice sounds thinner next to Jackman's, and some of his big solos feel more recited than felt. The duel between the two men still holds the film together.

Love at the Heart of the Story

Valjean takes in Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), the orphaned daughter of Fantine (Anne Hathaway), and raises her as his own. Their bond gives the film its warmest moments, and his wish to give her a better life fuels his change.

Fantine's story is the hardest to watch. She gives up everything to provide for her daughter, and her fate sets Valjean's promise in motion, tying the two halves of the story together.

The later romance between Cosette and Marius (Eddie Redmayne) is sweet but thin. Éponine (Samantha Barks), who loves Marius from a distance, often feels like the more interesting character, and Barks makes the most of her screen time.

Music Sung Live on Set

The film is sung almost from start to finish, with music by Claude-Michel Schönberg. Hooper had the cast sing live on set instead of miming to studio recordings, which gives the performances a raw, unpolished edge.

Anne Hathaway's “I Dreamed a Dream” is the standout. Filmed in one long close-up, it captures a woman who has lost everything, and her performance earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Jackman's “Bring Him Home” is quieter but just as affecting.

Not every choice works, though. Hooper's constant close-ups can feel tiring over such a long film, and viewers who dislike musicals may struggle with so few spoken lines. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter, as the scheming innkeepers, the Thénardiers, add welcome comic relief.

Why It Still Resonates

The story is set in 19th-century France, but its themes of poverty, justice and compassion still feel current. The film works best when it lets these ideas live in the characters, such as Valjean's mercy against Javert's rigid rules, instead of spelling them out.

Les Misérables is worth watching for Hathaway's solo, Jackman's committed lead and the sheer scale of its songs. Musical fans will love it; if sung dialogue is not your thing, give the first half hour a chance before deciding.