The Artist

“Though its protagonist mourns the arrival of sound, The Artist itself is more interested in celebrating the range and power of a medium that can sparkle, swoon and suffer so beautifully that it doesn’t really to have anything to say.”

We are fed the some of the most amazing visuals that give us the ability to experience and guide us through places and events of creative worlds that are impossible for us in reality.  Digital effects, high definition, Crisp color, awesome scripts, and famous actors combined are needless to say like a buffet for our eyes.  But what if I said there was a film that could blow you away and give you the same satisfaction as you would from any other recent film except that it was in black and white, has no dialogue, and no digital effects.  Would you give it a chance?  Most likely not. However, this film was perhaps one of the best I had ever seen and if I fail to persuade you into watching it, maybe the fact that it took away five major Academy Awards will ultimately convince you.

Based during the time of ‘black and white’ and when the hills read “HOLLYWOODLAND”, French director, Michel Hazanavicius perfected the challenge of portraying the specific time frame of the 1920’s while still finding a way to pertain to modern society and its high expectations.  The debonair comedy along with the blissful romance and unexpected drama drives the unique rendition of the “A Star is Born” theme.

George Valentin, played by Jean Dujardin, is a young, dashing and handsome performer who is greatly adored by his many fans, and has a face the camera begs for.  His ability as an actor to nail the particular facial expressions and movements necessary for accurate portrayal made all the different for the film.  Rarely seen without his companion, a jack russell named Uggie, George is portrayed as a bit of a narcissist and all about his image until the meeting of Peppy Miller, a performer looking for her break through, who changes his life from then on bringing on internal and external conflicts.

Peppy Miller, played by Berenice Bejo, a gorgeous happy-go-like character, finds herself in the company of one of the most famous performers in the world.  Her dreams are beginning to come true as she shortly begins to become the new famous act.  But competition as well as a budding love for George begins to take its toll and things begin to unravel in ways you wouldn’t expect.

 Though considered a silent film,  The Artist is carried with a great orchestral score, by Ludovic Bource, which proves to be all it needs adding to the phenomenal performances of the cast.  Music has such a profound effect on emotion it practically speaks for itself. 

So I encourage you to put aside your doubts and watch this film when you get the chance. I promise you wont regret it.