Length: 157 minutes (2 hours, 37 minutes)

Review: Les Misérables is a fascinating story for film lovers and history lovers. Jean Valjean's (Hugh Jackman) imprisonment illustrates the injustices of prison systems of the time. The revolutionary ideals of the young men at the Paris barricades, led by Marius (Eddie Redmayne) highlight the dissatisfaction with France's return to a monarchical system. This film is the Age of Reaction in Europe brought to life (specifically, the June Rebellion of June 5-7, 1832, also known as the Paris Uprising of 1832).

Not a huge fan of musicals myself, I didn't expect to enjoy the singing in this film (I'd seen the Broadway version years before, and was not a big fan). But I simply loved this movie, including the music. Perhaps this was helped by the fact that the majority of the actors aren't Broadway singers, per se, but simply regular movie actors who have good voices. Singing live on set, combined with stellar acting (most notably from Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne), made the musical numbers seem more moving and less theatrical.

Perhaps the best praise came from my hard-to-please daughter. In her words: "It tried to be epic. And usually, when movies do that, it's totally cheesy. But this movie was actually epic. I really liked it." If my daughter thought it was good, your teenagers should, as well.

Accuracy: This is essentially a big-screen version of the Broadway musical, which differs slightly from Victor Hugo's novel of the same name. Interestingly, the actors are singing live on set (no lip-syncing). The setting is the troubled period of French history following the final exile of Napoleon Bonaparte, and the subsequent restoration of the Bourbon monarchy.

Age appropriateness: Tom Hooper's Les Misérables is officially rated PG-13 in the United States. The content is safe for students of junior high age and older. There is no nudity, but several characters are prostitutes. Sensitive parents of younger children may find this inappropriate.

Creators and stars: Aaron Tveit, Alain Boublil, Amanda Seyfried, Andy Beckwith, Angela Morrison, Anne Hathaway, Bernard Bellew, Cavin Cornwall, Charlotte Hope, Claude-Michel Schonberg, Colm Wilkinson, Daniel Huttlestone, Danny Cohen, Debra Hayward, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter, Hugh Jackman, Isabelle Allen, Liza Chasin, Michael Jibson, Natalya Angel Wallace, Paco Delgado, Russell Crowe, Sacha Baron Cohen, Samantha Barks, Tim Bevan, Tom Hooper, Tony Rohr.