If you like silent films, you'll love this one; if not, probably not.

Rating: 9/10 (27 December 2011)

The praise is well deserved and this is the best film I've seen for a while. OSS117 is a very pleasant surprise. Berenice Bejo is exactly what she should be. In smaller parts, John Goodman mugs exceedingly well, James Cromwell is excellent and the dog is superb. If you've ever enjoyed a silent film, you'll like this one. If you don't like silent films, you won't like this one either. If you've never seen one, you probably won't like them -- most people don't -- but maybe you're one of the few.... Now, to reach the minimum length for reviews (!), I'll add that the film's use of selective silence to emphasize the tension between talkies and silents is very clever and that the happy ending is a great relief. I've always thought A Star Is Born is just too depressing to watch twice.