The Rest
The Thenardiers--Speaking of people of whom I'm not a fan, Sacha Baron Cohen. I like him in
Sweeney Todd because he's a narcissistic sociopath and that works for him. I actually enjoyed his very subdued performance in
Hugo, which is based on one of my favorite books. When I found out that Borat would be playing Monsieur Thenardier with Bellatrix Lestrange at his side, I realized that they could not have been better cast. Well, actually, I thought that Mrs. Lovett, Helena Bonham-Carter's character from
Sweeney Todd, was perfect for Madame Thenardier. These are the minor characters who steal the show with their scheming, lack of manners, catchy tunes and tendency to rob the main characters blind. I've seen better Madame Thenardiers but the chemistry between these two is priceless. I also love Monsieur's tendency to forget Cosette's name.
Cosette--Speak of the angel. Isabella Allen, the ten-year-old who was discovered in a school play, was great. She was vulnerable and hesitantly trusting and a little bit wretched. I wish that they had kept in the entirety of her song "Castle on a Cloud" and the wordless duet with Jean Valjean that she does on her walk through the woods.
The students--One of the advantages of Tom Hooper's never-ending closeups is that it is not so difficult to tell between the dead Frenchmen. The students are very individual characters, whether Enjorlas the leader or Grantaire with the drinking problem. They work best as an ensemble cast, but the touches of individuality--the revolutionary who steals a woman's chair after kissing her out of it or the student who was so attached to Gavroche--were wonderful.
Gavroche--I liked this little fellow. He's one of the true
miserables (wretched) of the story, but has the most heart. The actor reminded me strongly of my oldest nephew, which is part of why I liked him so much. You have to be a kid with nerve and pipes to be Gavroche and he was perfectly cast.
The Bishop--Here's a "Didja know" for you. The Bishop is played by Colm Wilkinson. He's only in the movie for a few minutes, but Colm played Jean Valjean in the original production. I found it wonderful that they cast him as the man who is the catalyst for Valjean's repentance.