Overview
A gripping exploration of morality and justice in the heart of Paris's suburbs.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- gritty
- urgent
- tense
- political film night
- social justice discussion
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film's urgent energy, compelling political ideas, and tense depiction of banlieue life, while noting that its sprawling story can be unwieldy.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The anti-crime brigade's policing methods and the aftermath of a botched arrest reveal coercion embedded in everyday authority.
Montfermeil's housing projects, community leaders, police units, and volatile youth create an increasingly unstable social environment.
The film follows patrols, drones, street chases, and neighborhood confrontations with urgent, immediate visual momentum.
The film is explicitly inspired by the 2005 Paris riots and addresses continuing conditions in French banlieues.
Films like Les Misérables, and why
La Haine
shared social realism, police conflict, institutional pressure, and escalating urban unrest
The Hate U Give
shared politically charged drama, working-class marginalization, and volatile community tensions
Training Day
shared tense police procedural framework, moral ambiguity, and systemic corruption
Athena
shared contemporary urban disenfranchisement, communal anger, and confrontational realism
Movie Details
- Director
- Ladj Ly
- Release Date
- 2019-11-14
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 7.6 / 10 (1630)
Cast
- Damien Bonnard
- Alexis Manenti
- Djebril Zonga
- Steve Tientcheu
- Jeanne Balibar
- Issa Perica
- Al-Hassan Ly
- Almamy Kanoute
- Nizar Ben Fatma
- Raymond Lopez
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Les Misérables about?
- A newly arrived officer enters a volatile Paris suburb where abusive policing and communal anger threaten to ignite a cycle of retaliation.
- What is Les Misérables like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Les Misérables as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Les Misérables violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Les Misérables as brutal.
- What did critics think of Les Misérables?
- Critics broadly praised the film's urgent energy, compelling political ideas, and tense depiction of banlieue life, while noting that its sprawling story can be unwieldy.
- Which films are like Les Misérables?
- Films with a similar feel include La Haine, The Hate U Give, Training Day, and Athena.
- How long is Les Misérables?
- Les Misérables runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Les Misérables?
- In United States, Les Misérables streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
