4. Javert - Les Misérables
Tom Hooper's Les Misérables is, even as someone who loathes musicals, mostly a triumph, delivering all of the opulence that any fan of the musical would come to expect. It's also on the whole superbly acted, with Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and Eddie Redmayne in particular delivering stupendously good performances in their respective roles. The problem? They
completely overshadow the film's other lead, ruthless policeman Javert, played with enthusiasm but not exactly skill by Crowe. From the opening scene, it's clear that Crowe is struggling to contend with the material, pitched as a baritone which he cannot possibly live up to. Crowe tries his hardest, but throughout there's the feeling that he's not at all comfortable in the role, and that his voice does not naturally lend itself to this sort of material. Does Crowe give it his damndest? Absolutely, but that does little to distract from the fact that he's poorly cast and should never have wound up in the role in the first place.