The story of Jean Valjean is the story of all who steal food products then sing about it.
Whether it’s the novel by Victor Hugo, the musical by Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schonberg and Herbert Kretzmer, or the current Universal film directed by Tom Hooper from William Nicholson’s screenplay, the audience is under constant manipulation to like a man who filches bakery products.
Hugh Jackman is the scofflaw Frenchman Valjean, paroled from Toulon prison for his larcenous escapades.
Naturally, he breaks parole and is pursued by Inspector Javert (Russell Crowe).
Javert is so inept that the French police can afford to give him twenty years to nab a parole jumper whose original crime was pilfering cooked dough.
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