#also i feel so cringe for posting this but i genuinely love and appreciate crowevert

[russell-crowe]

why i actually really like russell crowe as javert

naturally i will preface this by acknowledging that yes, i am heavily biased. however, i will try to make some points as neutral as possible, especially considering i love most of the various adaptions of les mis!

let me start by asking you to take into account the widely different versions of les miserables and especially the character of javert. i have seen most adaptions of les mis and i was fortunate enough to be able to see the show at west end once, and one thing i have a lot of love and admiration for is how different all of them are - especially in the pre-musical, brick inspired works. some adaptions focus more on his air of authority and faith in the law, others put emphasis on his relationship with valjean (which narratively makes sense in film adaptions that make valjean the clear main character) and some beautifully craft javert’s derailment.

focussing on the 2012 adaption, i think a lot of the ick of people comes from it being neither a perfect musical adaption, nor a perfect live action - both of which have had their runs with successful versions in the past. i personally like how hooper has blended both adaptions, but i can understand that the adaption takes liberties in both ways that will not satisfy people who particularly are fond of the musical or brick-inspired live action films. i personally really admire the 2012 adaption for managing to add an authenticity to musical films by ambitiously going for live recordings rather than studio, but that is a different story.

anyway, that brings me to russell crowes version of javert and a polite read more for people who follow me.

let’s get to the obvious first - no, russell crowe is not a professionally trained singer and at the time, his only singing experience was with his rock band. and yes, russell crowe has released one of the worst selling singles in new zealands history. however, there are a couple elements i like about his voice. first of all, i find that the version of ‘the confrontation’ of the 2012 adaption easily rests among my favourites, partially because the contrast between hugh jackman’s voice and russell crowe’s voice greatly adds to the clash of the song. hugh’s voice is bright and musically trained, while russell’s voice covers the lower ranges and a more straight forward path. i like their version because it is easy to understand both their melodies, and i feel like it is cleaner than a lot of other adaptions.

second of all, especially in ‘stars’, i find that there is a beauty in it that is largely caused by a lack of professional training for crowe. his version of ‘stars’, as well as other songs, are carefully constructed. there is something suiting about taking an intense strong-willed outlier and trying to fit him in a musical theatre mold that imho compliments javerts storyline. and while i love the intenseness of quasts ‘stars’, to name one famous example, i also like the quiet prayer-like version of russell.

voice aside for one moment and focusing more on the live action approach, i like that russell was chosen for the role. he is famous for diving into roles and going back to the roots, rather than finding his inspiration in other, newer adaptions. while there is a great cause to be made regarding standing of the shoulders of giants in the musical world, i appreciate a take on javert that draws from crowe’s interpretation of the version that he read in the brick, rather than one that is inspired by the many javert that have been there before him.

then regarding his general acting, i appreciate his body language and above all the humanity he adds to javert. i think the character of javert is often wrongfully seen as a villain, but crowe’s javert makes it... easy for a general audience to sympathize for him. there’s pride in him, a clear respect of authority and justice and slowly, towards the end, the unraveling that ends up destroying him.

now there are some things i believe russell’s javert falls short, whether it be on him or other members of the crew. his version of ‘javert’s suicide’ feels a bit too flat and i would love if he leaned in just a bit more into the beauty of musical theatre here. having the derailment both happen in music as well as in his acting, would have added a great deal to this version. (and the spine snapping sound was also so unnecessary).

i also believe that he would have been more loved if they presented him with a look that better matched people’s common idea of javert. if he had more whiskers or longer hair (such as master & commander, maybe even), a whole lot of his adaption would already feel different. he has the canine like features (though he’s a bit more rounded and bear-like, than wolf-like), he’s not conventionally attractive, he can be an intense presence as well as be more stealthy - he has all the possibilities, but a lot of them just... went slightly unused. (they did feature the typical crowe ‘this character gets pegged’) energy tho

but yes - i love how this javert compliments hughs valjean. they are not my favourite javert and valjean (though, actually, hugh’s valjean is probably my second favourite), but they are a combination that works well. and i also just... love imperfections? i love having a javert that is a little odd and a javert who doesn’t quite fit in. I love a javert who can be stern and cold, but have humanity too.

sorry for the lack of coherency - perhaps when i get round to finishing my reread of the brick i might change my mind on some things or specify certain elements i can see in crowes adaption, but i felt the need to just... add my two cents to 11 year old discourse as some people were entering the russell crowe tag and sharing their dislike for his javert. <3