The Artist (The Weinstein Company)
Rated PG-13 for a disturbing image and a crude gesture.
Starring Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Penelope Ann Miller, Missi Pyle, Beth Grant.
Written and directed by Michel Hazanavicius.
GRADE: A
REVIEW:
The Artist is the tale of an actor who reaches the pinnacle of success, only to have his dreams shattered by technology. Jean Dujardin plays George Valentin, an A-list 1930s silent movie star who meets a beautiful young movie extra named Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo) on the dawn of the arrival of "talkies." Peppy and George have feelings for each other, but as Peppy's star rises, George's fades and he falls into poverty and depression.
Just when George's situation seems desperate, Peppy, now an A-list talkie star in her own right, runs to his rescue.
But will George be able to accept Peppy's charity? More important, will he be able to adjust to the new technological Hollywood landscape?
(Be sure to stick around for the only dialogue heard in The Artist at the very end of the film for a great pay-off)
The Artist is a beautiful film with a sweet and romantic message for anyone who enjoys movies. The fact that the film is black and white and silent (with subtitles, except for the great musical track) may put mainstream movie audiences off, but it would be a mistake to miss such a unique film. Jean DuJardin's portrayal is spot on as a great artist struggling with his career, while Bérénice Bejo's supporting performance provides the heart and soul of the film.
The Artist also carries a contemporary undercurrent of how actors and audiences respond to changing cinematic technologies. In the 30s it was sound and dialogue. Today, actors wonder if they might become obsolete in a world where so many images can be digitally created.
It may be a little corny and perhaps super-sweet, but The Artist is just the kind of original film Hollywood needs in a time when so many movies carry so many dark and unoriginal themes.
