Is Les Miserables suitable for children under 5 years old?

Definitely not! Firstly, it's not suitable for the children as they simply will NOT understand the story and it contains things like violence and prostitution. So unless you feel like explaining the entire story to them BEFORE seeing it, (including THE talk - because how else do you explain what Fantine is doing in Lovely Ladies?) then it is not appropriate. Secondly, it is not appropriate for the rest of the audience. Depending on whether you mean the film or the stage production, it is either 2.5 hours without intermission (plus ads) or over 3 hours with intermission. Kids under 5 cannot sit still and concentrate for that length of time - they will just end up disrupting other audience members.

NO NO NO - NO NO NO

First of all - it's a long production. "Under 5" humans have an attention span of 10-15 minutes tops. So your kids will quickly become a fidgeting, crying, whining, obnoxious disturbance for everyone else in the theatre - unless they go to sleep. And of course you won't be aware enough to take them out when they start the disturbance - so you will also be part of the problem that will have ruined the show for 200 other patrons.

Don't be daft - leave the kids home or take them to a short Walt Disney flick. Les Mis (nor ANY other full-length production) is no place for pre-schoolers. Good lord.

Les Miserables is a 2 hour and 48 minute movie. Hardly anyone under the age of 13 would be able to understand its complicated plot. The movie is very sad and there is a lot of violence and even a river of blood in one scene. Jean ValJean even carries a man through the sewer at one point. It is rated PG-13. I don't personally recommend taking your children to see it but I guess it's your decision.

I don't think it's suitable. The movie is rated 12A in my country (12 years old or accompanied by an adult - so legal, but not recommended for younger children). But even if it were suitable, a 5 year old watching a 157 minutes long movie (+ ads and trailers)?? Not gonna happen. He's gonna be bored to death and getting fussy within 5 minutes.

Not a chance. Regardless of the fact the author who wrote Les Miserables(Victor Hugo) had another book of his turned into a Disney flick(The Hunchback of Notre Dame), this one is real life and not a cartoon. The original Hunchback of Notre Dame movie was by no means intended for children either.

I wouldn't take an under 5 to any full length theatre show, regardless of the suitability of individual parts.

No. The musical would be but the movie is far to graphic.