Delightful romp succeeds largely because of Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo...

Rating: 8/10 (6 July 2012)

The chemistry between Jean Dujardin, as a fading movie star of the silent era and Berenice Bejo as a flirtatious flapper type heroine, is what makes this dazzling B&W film work. Of course, tributes must also be paid to the detailed B&W sets and costumes and to director Michael Hazanavicius who makes it all sparkle.
There's a bit of deja vu when it comes to the script, which more or less follows the path of previous films on transition to sound, such as "A Star Is Born" and "Singin' in the Rain." Mr. Dujardin, by the way, looks somewhat like a dapper Gene Kelly with a trim mustache and mischievous grin, in the sort of role Kelly played with much gusto in "The Pirate." To be fair, there are scenes that go on too long and tend to drag and there's the somber side of the tale that has our hero contemplating suicide, but things brighten up considerably before the fadeout which has Dujardin and Bejos strutting their stuff as dancers.
Aside from the sparkling work of the leads and a strong supporting cast of players including John Goodman, James Cromwell and the dog Uggie, the musical background score is lively and a pleasure to listen to. The only jarring note is a sequence where Bernard Herrmann's "Vertigo" love theme seemed out of place.
Faults aside, it's easy to see why the Best Actor Oscar winner went to Jean Dujardin. His expressive face registers every emotion easily. Just as fluent at registering all the right emotions is his co-star, Berenice Bejo, who deserved more than just a nomination as Peppy Miller.