Les Misérables (Possible Spoilers)

**There may be spoilers (and personal flashbacks) I caution your viewing**

When I was around the age of eight or nine my brother became incredibly infatuated with the musical Les Misérables. We would get into his van and drive to our grandmother's house or he would be playing The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker and I'd chill in his room while we listened to the soundtrack. He would try to explain the plot to the young child I was numerous times but I would never really understand it; so, when I heard that Les Misérables was coming out in a Major Motion Picture I was incredibly enthusiastic. The past 4 months I prepared myself by listening off and on to Original Broadway Cast recording.

Last night the opportunity  finally came.

I was going to see Les Misérables and understand the context of the songs I had been singing along to for the past ten years.

I understood that there were going to be differences between the film and the stage musical. I was in awe within the first ten minutes before the title was even on the screen. Just the cinematography was impressive. Within the first ten minutes, Russell Crowe sang which sort of made me cry. But I muddled through that part. A better Javert would have been nice. Also my sister were discussing this on our way home, we decided that in order to be in the movie you had to be able to sing and cry at the same time otherwise you couldn't be in the movie. I was not sure who else was in the movie before I went to go see it, I was aware it was an "all star cast" but when I saw who played Marius and the other revolutionaries I was quite content with the latter part of the movie.  I was incredibly shocked by Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried's ability to sing.  I never imagined the future Queen of Genovia to be able sing like that (Haha. No? Not a joking matter?). I realize looking back I should not have been as shocked by Seyfried's performance because of Mamma Mia (Wow, why didn't I remember that she was in that?) 

Seeing action and set moving along the musical made the musical make more sense to me. There is something about listening to music of a musical and liking it and actually understanding what is happening in the musical.  I also do not understand why everyone hates Marius and Cosette.  
I'd give it a 3.5 on a scale of 5.