Review of The Artist (2011) by Andy P — 26 Feb 2013
A fun and clever silent film about an era where film was in the transition from silent to talkies and how it affected some of the silent stars and helped popularise the new talent. Such themes have been explored before, most notably in 'Singin in the Rain' and 'Sunset Boulevard', but this isn't simply a retread.
It's clever in how it conveys the theme using style and technique. The film is black and white, and silent, like the films of that era. It's very stylish, beautiful and captivating. There are clever in-jokes at the fact that the characters are not audible to the audience which are subtle, but not too subtle.
The style certainly makes the film feel very classy and eloquent, but it's also a way to give perspective to what the transition was like, especially for those it affected right at the centre, the silent stars who couldn't make the jump to talkies.
Jean Dujardin is charming as George Valentin, a silent star who falls into obscurity, becoming a has-been as he chooses not to compromise his art as the times make a dramatic change. His performance is wonderful.
As was the case with silent films in the past, Dujardin must let his actions do the talking. His movements, his facial expressions must carry the film. A challenging task, but he definitely pulls it off.
He is a very charismatic and he very effortlessly carries the film. This man goes from being a superstar to losing everything. It gets quite dramatic as his life crumbles around him. In that sense the film is not only about the transition from silent to talkies, but the age-old universal theme of change we all experience.
The dizzying highs, and terrifying lows. All the side performances are good also, notably Berenice Bejo as Peppy. I found this to be a very entertaining flick, and in a world where CGI, explosions and loud dialogue rule the big screen, it was a nice change to see someone take an old yet different approach.
It's no wonder why the Academy loved it so much. Oh, and the dog was great too.
This review of The Artist (2011) was written by Andy P on 26 Feb 2013.
The Artist has generally received very positive reviews.
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