Film Review: The Artist

A film like The Artist is always going to be considered a bit of a novelty. A silent movie being released when everything is getting louder and louder. Huge IMAX screens churning out (usually) dreadful films in 3D, normally based on a range of toys, or a sequel,a  prequel, a re-imagining. To release a silent, and black and white, movie these days seems crazy.

But, aside from the inevitable stories of dimwits demanding refunds because they didn't know it was a silent movie (how they managed to evade that piece of information is beyond me), the film has been a huge success, made even more so by being nominated for every award under the sun. Although, some of those awards don't exactly hold much luster.

Directed by French director Michel Hazanavivius, who has previously filmed tributes to 60's style spy movies in his home country, The Artist is an unashamed tribute to Hollywood (which is probably why it's picked up so many Oscar nominations), starring Jean Dujardin as George Valentin, a silent movie star whose career is threatened by the advent of the 'talkie' picture. He discovers then-unknown starlet Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) who becomes a huge success, while Valentin's star starts to fall, rather rapidly.

The Artist shows that you don't need talking to make a good film. The only sound you hear (save a short dream sequence and at the very end of the movie) is the score by Ludovic Bource. The music in the film hasn't been so important in recent memory, and it's wonderful, and really captures the moods of the film throughout. So much had to ride on it, seeing as it's all you hear, and it does a marvelous job.

Dujardin is superb as George Valentin, it's a tremendous performance. Even more so as it's a performance where not a single word is uttered. A man who has been a huge star, finding himself on the Hollywood (or Hollywoodland as it was back in the 1920's) scrapheap almost overnight, leaving him without work, then eventually divorced and broke, with only his little dog (played by amazing wonder dog Uggie) and his driver Clifton (James Cromwell) left.

There are a few other recognizable names too, other than James Cromwell. Most prominent is John Goodman as Al Zimmer, the producer who ditches the silent movie for the talkie, and smaller roles for Penelope Ann Miller and Malcom McDowell (who only has the one scene.)

If anyone fears the silent movie novelty will detract from the film, with all it's pauses to display what is being said, they have nothing to worry about. The Artist's story and acting performances are better than the majority of it's contemporaries on the big screen today. It took me about 10 minutes to get used to it, and then I was hooked for the rest of it. Remember, films used to be like this! Didn't mean they are no longer worth watching!

The only thing I fear, is that other people will try and ride on the coattails and make another silent picture. It just wouldn't work. The Artist is a wonderful one-off and it should be kept that way.

*****
The Artist is an absolute triumph in every respect. Brilliantly acted and directed, it's a true one-off in this day and age. Let's hope no one tries to do another, though.