A charming allegory of silent films

Rating: 6/10 (13 October 2013)

I am amongst the club that prefers "anthying but Hollywood blockbuster" films that refuse to take themselves seriously, whose story lines are so simple that many would consider them insulting..... and yet "The Artist" is much of this when you get down to it. It IS a Hollywood story, but what is fascinating is the context of presenting silent film making through silent film production. The music tells us what we haven't already filled in for plot, extra dialog not framed for us, as well as character motivation. This is fantastic direction of artists, but an homage, not a new art form in itself. Our stars are very accommodating and overtly charming, but not amongst the numerous earth shattering performances that we're accustomed to seeing in Oscar winning experiences. Simply put, that would be out of context of the film, as would a true serious nature (and dialog, for that matter). "The Artist" is a story about the perils of pride and progress. The experience is a recreation of a well emancipated nostalgia. At the end of the day, "The Artist" is a cute and charming diversion.