Vibrant even though colorless

Rating: 10/10 (26 December 2011)

What could've derailed into a drab and dry spectacle, perfectly executes everything it tries to accomplish in a serious and fun way. The Artist is an amazing homage to the classic silent films from the twenties and thirties, respectively. They are some of the simplest films, but pack so much in their context it's easy to miss a few beats.
The idea of silent cinema is sketchy in 2011, but thankfully, The Artist never tries to present itself as a tongue in cheek parody or a goofy tribute. It is serious in its presentation and wants nothing more than to show that captivating cinema still exists and can work work wonders if done properly. Maybe it's because I have shot two silent films in the last year and am sympathetic to all the effort it takes to actually create one.
The silent films I shot were for a Television class I took last year. They are nothing special and are pretty cheaply made. I loosely based it off a situation that really happened to my friend and I, and added a nice KISS song and threw in a few plot twists. It wasn't in black and white, and the editing wasn't this tight. I am open to the idea of more now that I have been schooled watching The Artist.
Being that Jean Dujardin is a gifted physical actor and his appearance mirrors a real-life actor from the silent era only adds to the many reasons why The Artist succeeds on so many levels. He plays George Valentin, a silent film actor who has starred in many films over the course of the twenties with his scene stealing Jack Russell Terrier. Sadly, it's now 1927 and the silent film studios are suffering because a new fad of films that include sound, called Talkies, are the big thing.
One day when George is being swarmed by the paparazzi, a woman gets pushed into him by accident. Instead of acting infuriated, which I can see many celebrities being now, he embraces the abrupt entry of the woman and poses for several pictures with her. The woman is then discovered to be Peppy Miller, played by the engaging and utterly beautiful Bérénice Bejo. George is so wooed by Miller's attitude and beauty that he auditions her for a role in his new film. After that, Peppy becomes more and more famous through roles of all different sizes in Talkies.
Keep in mind, all this action, excitement, and suspense is captured through black and white film, many musical numbers, and a lens not in the typical widescreen format. Though the film is so engaging, I did not forget its silent nature but I do believe it is possible to forget the film lacks in dialog. Some very impressed moviegoers will be lost in the film's story and might be in for a rude awakening before the credits roll.
The Artist is an enriching and delightful movie experience. Some will grow tired of the aspect but I can see many embracing it and craving more. The film has enough well-delivered action to not be called "one note," and enough clever plot points to prevent the word "monotony" from coming in. It's subtle in its presence but massively entertaining in its delivery.
Starring: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, and John Goodman. Directed by: Michel Hazanavicius.