I wouldn’t see another Quentin Tarantino film if my life depended on it. It doesn’t matter that Django might have been an anti-white screed. It could have been “Atlas Shrugged” and I’d still avoid it like the plague.
Les Miserables is a must see, unless you can’t sit still for a 2:38 musical. If that’s the case (like the jerk in front of me who spent the entire time on her Facebook or Twitter account) do yourself and other moviegoers a favor and stay home.
Political/Spiritual commentary follows. Skip this if you just wanted the opinion of the movie.
The story is not only timeless, but it is timely. Les Miserables is a story about the struggle for social justice, and there were plenty of parallels for our time. Paying attention to the moral of the story might just help America, if it’s not too late.
The various characters attempted to achieve social justice, either for themselves or for others, in various ways:
Jean Valjean - theft and revenge
Factory Workers of Montreuil-Sur-Mer - honest work
Prostitutes of Montreuil-Sur-Mer - abandoning morals
Poor of Paris - begging
Enjolras and his revolutionaries - government order
Eponine - selfless love
Javert - law and order
Only one of them found his answer by the end of the movie. Valjean and his family (Cosette and Marius) found a way. It happened when the Bishop of Digne, living out the life of Christ, granted Valjean mercy when he deserved a harsh judgement. Valjean, moved by the Christian example, searched his soul and dedicated his life to God. Only then was he able to break the back of his misery and find joy - even in the midst of struggle. It was the cross that brought justice, not any of those other things.
I tend to forget this and get caught up either in the role of Javert (stand firmly on the law) or Enjolras (create a good social order). But America won’t be saved by hard work, legalizing sin, taking from others, giving to others, a strong law, or a strong political party. America will only be saved by God through prayer. After establishing that foundation, we can take our places in the other spheres as God directs.
Enjoy the movie.
the kindle book is free on Amazon.