Les Miserables

Yet another adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel. Paroled convict Jean Valjean (Neeson) gets chased by police inspector Javert (Rush) while factory worker Fantine (Thurman) turns to prostitution to survive. August chose to begin this tale after Valjean's trial and imprisonment for petty theft, and until the final third of the film, doesn't really deal with the political upheaval of the time. Not as sweeping or grand as other versions, but what this adaptation lacks in scope, it makes up for with top-notch performances (especially by Neeson and Rush) and more careful study of the characters themselves.