Having just won ‘Best Motion Picture’, ‘Best Original Score’ and ‘Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture’ at the Golden Globes and receiving four awards at the Critics Choice Movie Awards, The Artist is proving to be incredibly popular. If you ever thought that classic movies were dull, then you will undoubtedly feel dubious about the story of silent movie star George Valentin. So be prepared for your skepticism to be erased by this wonderfully crafted piece of work. Marrying the old and new elements of film and entertainment, Michel Hazanavicius successfully unites an otherwise divided audience.
Beautifully shot and magnificently capturing 1920s Hollywood, Hazanavicius transports his audience into a world of glamour, fame, humour and heartache; without an actor uttering a single word. And yet this film is not entirely silent, there are two moments where Hazanavicius uses sound. I will not tell but both are carried out with such elegance that the flow of the film is never broken, merely enhanced.
Hazanavicius carries the theme of old vs. new throughout the film, with it being the major conflict faced by the protagonist, Valentin. Jean Dujardin does well as the lead male; without his comic timing and impeccable facial expressions the film would not be nearly as lovable as it is. The chemistry between Dujardin and leading lady Bérénice Bejo (Peppy Miller) is faultless, giving this film a charm and energy not to be missed. So, if you are looking for a film that will make your eyes tear up with pity, make you laugh out loud and make you hide behind your hands, then be sure to go and see The Artist this month.
Absolutely loved this film!
A combination of romance, humor together with the human tragedy of a fallen star – one that we only understand from the distance.
The lack of sound makes it for me the best feature: it gives time to think and reflect on the situations and themes, without a bombing of information coming from everywhere.
Highly recommended!