Charming and warming story told with style and a wit that rises above it being a gimmick

Rating: Null/10 (29 January 2012)

From a viewer's point of view this time of the year is a blessing and a curse. It is a blessing because so many good or worthy films are out in the cinemas because the awards season is just arriving – so it sort of works as the opposite end of the spectrum to the summer season where all the "special effects" movies gather, December/January is where all the potential award winners clump up. The downside of this is that some of them can be overly worthy button pushers looking for awards in a shameless way but also that genuinely good films can be over-hyped. This unfortunately happened with The Artist – the praise was all at an extreme so of course the backlash is equally extreme as people go expecting the film to be the most perfect thing ever, only to find that it is only a really good little film.
And this is what The Artist is – a really good little film that tells a simple story in an effective and charming way, using the device of being a silent film to very good effect. I'm not sure what some of those criticising it expected to see, but I guess it is hard to not be disappointed whenever every poster on every bus and every review in every newspaper seems to be suggesting it is the most brilliant thing ever – which it isn't. I really enjoyed it though and thought it was as clever as it was simple, producing funny bits but also moments that I was surprised they were as touching as they were. The plot sees a Hollywood actor in the silent pictures at the top of his game who falls on hard times when talkies see his fans deserting him – all as a young starlet who he gave a break to rises in popularity thanks to her part in the talkies. It is a simple story but it plays out very well and the lack of dialogue really doesn't hurt the film at all – it just helps create the era for the viewer.
It is never hilarious but it is consistently amusing but of more surprise to me was how moving and sensitive it was - the story is simple but yet it engages and charms. The cast are a big part of this because they give performances that match the "big expression" nature of silent film acting but they also deliver in the smaller moments so that it is not just the words they are saying that they show, but also their feelings and thoughts. Dujardin in particular does so much without a single word and I very much enjoyed how he led the film. Likewise Bejo is very OTT in her expression but manages to make it work while also being charming and natural at the same time. I'm not sure why faces like Goodman, Cromwell, Pyle, McDowell and others were all in here but they were nice finds in supporting roles. As director and writer Hazanavicius has done a great job and he deserves his Oscar nominations for this.
Overall The Artist is a lovely little film with a simple story that is told with invention, wit and charm. No matter how many awards it wins it will not cure you of your diseases or change how you approach life – so if you walk in with that expectation because of the hype then you will be disappointed, but come to it for what it is and you will find that it easily charms and entertains you.