Rotten Tomatoes Plot: Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption-a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Hugh Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Russell Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's (Anne Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever. In December 2012, the world's longest-running musical brings its power to the big screen in Tom Hooper's sweeping and spectacular interpretation of Victor Hugo's epic tale.

Director: Hooper (John Adams, The King's Speech.) For two hours, Hooper appeared in line to win a second straight Oscar for Best Director... but the last 40 minutes drag on, nixing any award chances in the process.

What’s Best: Hathaway is a shoe-in for Best Supporting Actress, despite her character’s unfortunately quick exit: Her performance is raw and filled with emotion. Crowe is dynamite as an actor... not so much as a singer. Jackman’s Valjean is as good as any stage version I’ve seen: Who knew Wolverine could sing so well? Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter are devilishly delightful as Monsieur and Madame Thénardier: It’s not easy stealing some guy’s leg (don’t worry, it’s artificial) yet alone money from Santa Claus himself! Star power pays huge dividends all around.

What’s Not: The secondary players (Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried) and painfully long barricade turn an otherwise great film into a good one. Hooper crams so many dramatic songs into the film’s final hour; I was ready to raise the white flag of surrender myself. Almost everyone knows the ending already: Why take so long to get to it?

Best Line: “As a dangerous man, you will be on parole forever.” Crowe’s Javert to future nemesis Valjean. How dangerous? Dude stole a loaf of bread to feed a starving family. Who says the French aren’t tough?

What about laughs? Cohen steals the show with, ‘Let’s not haggle over dear Colette.’ Sounds sincere, until you realize he means Cosette. Before that, he whispers the most strategic ‘I love you’ ever to Cosette (on bended knee, no less.) Great visual.

Overall: One of the true great stories of the past two centuries, Hooper brings Les Misérables to life on the big screen, combining clever live performances with intermittent comedy (Cohen and Carter.) That a musical (one I’ve seen four times already) could hold my interest for as long as it did is nothing short of a miracle. Great casting and heartfelt performances survive the film’s aforementioned shortcomings. Kudos to Hathaway and Jackman for surprisingly powerful renditions of I Dreamed a Dream and Valjean’s Soliloquy respectively. As far as musicals go, A-. Overall? A solid B.