“The Artist”, as you likely know by now, is a black and white, mostly silent film that originally got a lot of attention, some of it because it’s a black and white, mostly silent film. Then it went on to win numerous awards, including the Oscar for Best Picture -deservingly so. “The Artist” proves a simple, but very important point: that you don’t need special effects, explosions, 3D or even dialogue and color to create a beautiful, emotional and captivating film.
The story begins is 1927. French actor Juan Dujarin (who won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his performance) plays actor George Valentin, a very successful silent movie star. He’s charming and witty, with perfect comic timing. One day a female fan (played by Berenice Bejo) literally bumps into him while trying to get an autograph. They get photographed together and soon she becomes the talk of the town.
Her name is Peppy Miller and she decides to try out to be an extra on one of George’s films. They begin to fall for each other (even though George is married). At the same time, talking pictures begin taking over the movie industry and silent films, and silent film actors, are no longer needed. Peppy becomes Hollywood’s hot, new thing while George has to deal with his fading career.
“The Artist” is a gem from the classic opening credits to the incredible final scene. This movie is not only an homage to a wonderful era in movie-making, but it uses the elements of the old black and white films – the dialogue cards, music and silence – to tell a story better than any conversation-filled film this year.
The story itself is simple but powerful and the performances are spectacular. Dujardin and Bejo are perfect alone and wonderful together. If other actors and directors want to know what on-screen chemistry is supposed to look like, all they need to do is watch these two. John Goodman and James Cromwell head a solid supporting cast, but the best supporting performance is provided by George’s dog, Uggie, who is amazing. He adds to the authentic look and feel of the times.
And the score plays a major role. Director Michel Hazanavicius has chosen just the right music for each scene and also proves just how powerful silence can be.
“The Artist” is rated PG-13. It’s appropriate for kids 12 and up. Even with all the attention and honors there are million of people who didn’t see it when it was out in theaters, mostly because it’s a silent, black and white film. Now that it’s available on Blu-ray/DVD there’s no excuse. This is the rare film that, when it’s over, you’ll think – “Wow – that was amazing!”. And many of the scenes will stay with you for years to come.
On “The Official Kid Critic Report Card”, “The Artist” gets an A.
It was my favorite film of 2011 and I can’t wait to watch it again (and again).