Winning five Oscars, including Best Picture, The Artist was one of the most awarded films at the 84th Academy Awards. For those of you who have never heard of The Artist, it is a black and white, silent film that was made in 2011. While that idea may not sound like film that will appeal to most, you should definitely give this film a chance.
The film is about a silent film star named George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) who is a huge star in silent films. However, his fame doesn’t last long. Soon, sound films become the next big thing, and the studio George works for decides to make only talkies. George refuses to believe that talkies are the future, calling them a fad and that true art lies in silent films. But George soon begins to struggle to make a career off silent films when the public wants talkies. While he struggles to succeed, a new star named Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), who previously only had a small part in one of George’s films, becomes a big star in the talkies.
It is very hard to review a film as different as The Artist, but overall I really enjoyed it. If I was to find a fault with this film it would be that it was a little too predictable.
Other than that this film is fantastic and is a must-see for any film fan or lover of classic films. Its Oscar winning score was fantastic as it perfectly set the tone for each scene, and was a great tribute to film scores of the era. Not to mention, Jean Dujardin’s performance is outstanding (he won an Oscar for it). The reason being is that he is able to convey so many emotions without talking, and is able to create great physical comedy.
Don’t let the lack of sound turn you away from this film. Try to find a screening near you as it is the best way to see this film. If not, definitely check this film out once it comes out on DVD. Final Rating: 4.75/5
