Moving a successful production from the stage to the big screen is an endeavour fraught with pitfalls and hissing fanatics, not to be attempted by the meek.

This effort ranks among the best thought out adaptations in movie history, but I was a little disappointed. Although other reviewers have pointed fingers at Emmy Rossum, I think she was the best part of the whole thing, the only thing besides the sets and costumes that made this movie watchable.

Gerard Butler would not have been my first choice to play this role and he was, in my opinion, a liability in this fine cast, a little too wooden in his movements and a little off-tone in the demanding vocal role.

Minnie Driver steals some scenes with her wild outfits and her general demeanour, I am sure she had a whale of a time with this movie which puts her in a delicious role.

Kudos to the set designers, especially the ones who worked on the first scene of the second half, that was always the highlight for me, walking back into the theatre and getting blown away by that magnificent staircase and pretty much the whole cast on stage at the same time.

I had a good time in some parts of the movie, was captivated by Emmy Rossum, but turned off by many other parts. My vote is to get together with a few friends and head off to see the stage production, but of course, it's a lot more expensive a proposition.