The Artist

2011, U, Directed by Michel Hazanavicius
Starring: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, James Cromwell, John Goodman

The hype surrounding The Artist is, put simply, massive. French filmmaker Michel Hazanvicius’ love-letter to the Silent Era of cinema which has so obviously influenced his career hit the festival circuit to immediate acclaim, not to mention imminent awards recognition. The plot follows silent movie star George Valentin who struggles to adapt to the introduction of sound in cinema, his stubbornness to evolve meaning his career falls by the wayside, whilst new actress on the block Peppy Miller’s blossoms. The Artist’s heavily-scrutinised trick is that the film itself is filmed in black and white silent, the self-reflexivity ensuring this be like no other you have seen for a while. The trick is no gimmick with the lack of colour and sound never once feeling like forced art for the sake of art. In fact, The Artist manages to stand head and shoulders above the rest because of this technique, which ironically ensures its originality. In a contemporary industry that focuses on money-churning dead-behind-the-eyes blockbusters, The Artist provides the breath of fresh air that could last for a decade. Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo’s central performances are two of the most charming performances in recent memory – the chemistry between the two will make you want to exclaim your delight wherever you watch – not to mention the supporting cast’s effort (John Goodman, James Cromwell).

Not content with purely reminiscing upon his favourites, Hazanavicius includes a 21^st century twist that will have audiences gawping in the aisles in sheer unexpected excitement. Who needs large budget action sequences when you can have a sound technician play around with what you hear, all to emphasise fear in a character that cannot be heard. The word that springs to mind is ingenious. It is these things, plus more (three words: Uggy the dog), that stand The Artist alongside classics of the past. This will be a film spoken about in decades to come. This is a film that will deserve every award it will undoubtedly receive. This is a film that will charm generations to come, no matter how many times they decide to watch this magnificent feature. 

5/5