Review of The Artist (2011) by Sharon A — 05 Jan 2014

I think it was 2007 when, while bus traveling between two States, I imagined what I thought would be impossible for as long as I lived. What if a silent film was done today? Think about the reactions of all the people that either cherished or remembered that era (if still alive). Think about the reactions that people unfamiliar with silent cinema would have: disbelief, angst, disappointment? What would it mean for the film industry? Would such a project be triumphant today? To what extent would the film be capable of encouraging masses to explore silent films? Those questions floated in my mind, but only one thing was certain: I'd definitely pay to see it with a lot of excitement.

2011 came, and The Artist hit the theater, causing a bomb of sensations. Everybody claimed it was one of the finest cinematic experiences they ever had. It was one of the best films they had ever seen. Best film of the year! "The best of the best of the best, Sir!" All the speculations I had about the possible results of a silent film being released today didn't actually get it right: instead of reviving the interest towards the silent era, the film basically stole the credit! It distracted people from it! But I still didn't see it.

One year was enough for the effect to wear out. Now the film was condemned. "Most overrated film of all times." "Jean Dujardin is the most overrated actor ever, and certainly didn't deserve the Oscar." That effect still holds today. People love to use the phrases "most/best" and "of all times" in their sentences to exaggerate. But I still didn't see it.

Finally, the day came in 2014, when I ventured to watch it. The commotion has now worn off and the film is just another Academy Award winner that revived an era and had its charm, but lost its effect throughout the years. Still praised by some and bashed by less, the situation has reached an equilibrium.

First and foremost, the purpose of the artist, filmwise, is extremely honorable. Honorable, and BRAVE. With an era so submerged in sound, visual effects and dialogue, the prospect of directing a silent feature would make most of movie producers to tremble, or at least to scratch their heads.

"But hold on! There's the key! What if I experiment with a metafilm concept, mirroring the actual technical state of the industry with the appreciation of modern audiences towards such visual art?".

And so, Hazanavicius and co. construct a plot similar to that of Singin' in the Rain (1952), a plot that is most certainly guaranteed to capture the hearts of the masses. The transition from silent movies to talkies is a reference to our possible reactions to, not a transition, but to a blast from the past. The movie constructs a parallel line between one transition and another, and it doesn't stop there. We also get a full revival of how the art of movies used to be like: great halls, live orchestras, gigantic movie theaters packed with enthusiasts of all ages, all dressed elegantly to attend the formal event that it represented to watch a movie. In case this wasn't enough, the whole cast seems to understand the art of acting in silent movies: stares, smiles, laughs, tears, explicit expressions, the ability to react (another fundamental ability in acting). Dujardin definitely doesn't have even half the charm of Douglas Fairbanks, and Bérénice Bejo is galaxies away from competing against the performance stunts and charms of Lillian Gish, but they do a remarkable job if considered as a homage.

As a conclusion, my respect towards The Artist comes primordiarily from its cinematic repercussions today, considering that its challenge was double: to successfully experiment with the concept of metafilm, and to physically recreate a nostalgic era with a spectacular attrezzo. Add to that the charms of Uggy, who now has the title of the best canine performance in cinema, and you have in your hands a courageous project worth the praise it has received because, even if it may be far from the quality of the REAL legendary silent classics (hell, it's even far from being in the Top 15 of the year), it achieved its purposes, purposes that nobody dared to be responsible of, until now. It also has inspired other silent projects to be released, so:

Next stop: Blancanieves (2012)!

81/100.