The Artist
3.5/4
Starring: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Malcolm McDowell
Rated PG-13 for A Disturbing Image and a Crude Gesture
"The Artist" is retro in every sense of the word. It breathes life into a genre that, outside of films that belong in MoMA, has been dead for nearly ninety years. While flawed and formulaic, it's well acted and well told.
George Valentin (Dujardin) is the biggest star in Hollywood. A silent film actor during the Roaring Twenties, he is famous for his roles opposite his dog (played by the adorable Uggie). He's also proud and vain. One day after coming out of a successful screening, he is bumped into by a beautiful young woman. She kisses him and becomes the talk of the town. Her name is Peppy Miller, and with George's advice, she becomes a rising star. But with the rise of the talkies, George's career is in the toilet while Peppy become's Tinseltown's newest star.
Ever wonder what happened to Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder and Macaulay Culkin? They were once in everything, but now, it's rare to find them in anything more than a cameo in an independent film. Their talent hasn't disappeared, the public's fickle attention has simply moved to someone else. This is what happens to George Valentin, and because writer/director Michel Hazanavicius remembers that, it gives this traditional story a different edge.
Making a silent film for today's risk averse and less film-intelligent audiences must have been quite a challenge for Hazanavicius (not only to film, but to get off the ground). Hazanavicius' talent is up to the task, although there are a few missteps. I came to care about these characters, and for the most part, didn't mind that their lips moved wordlessly.
The challenge with acting in a silent film is that the actor's performance relies entirely on body language. We must feel their emotions and feelings not through words like in most films, but through their faces and bodies. All the actors, especially Dujardin, have expressive faces. They convey what their characters are feeling in a way that, while referencing the over-the-topness demanded by early silent films, is still grounded.
As George, Dujardin dominates the film. There are other characters in the film, but this is his film. Dujardin was virtually an unknown in the US until this film (and he's starring in Martin Scorcese's upcoming "The Wolf of Wall Street." Dujardin conveys a lot with his face, his smile and eyebrows in particular. We can see George's ego, pride and helplessness. As the good-natured Peppy, Berenice Bejo (wife of Hazanavicius) is like a better version of Katherine Heigl. It pains me to mention Heigl in the same sentence as anyone in this film, but she and Bejo look similar (especially their smiles). Peppy looks out for George (without his knowledge). This isn't "All About Eve," and Peppy is certainly no Eve. She'll offer George help if only he'll accept it. John Goodman makes for a good movie mogul and James Cromwell is terrifically sympathetic as George's dutiful butler Clifton.
There are a few problems with "The Artist." One is the matter of dialogue. In keeping with the spirit of the talkies, Hazanavicius uses dialogue cards when dialogue is essential to the plot. It's done effectively and never jerks us out of the moment, but he doesn't do it enough. The climax fumbles slightly because of this. Sometimes the editing is a little suspect in the beginning and there is a brief clip in the beginning that dilutes part of the climax.
Although this may seem like an artsy film, it's really not. Anyone with an appreciation for film or good storytelling will enjoy this movie.
Starring: Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell, Malcolm McDowell
Rated PG-13 for A Disturbing Image and a Crude Gesture
"The Artist" is retro in every sense of the word. It breathes life into a genre that, outside of films that belong in MoMA, has been dead for nearly ninety years. While flawed and formulaic, it's well acted and well told.
George Valentin (Dujardin) is the biggest star in Hollywood. A silent film actor during the Roaring Twenties, he is famous for his roles opposite his dog (played by the adorable Uggie). He's also proud and vain. One day after coming out of a successful screening, he is bumped into by a beautiful young woman. She kisses him and becomes the talk of the town. Her name is Peppy Miller, and with George's advice, she becomes a rising star. But with the rise of the talkies, George's career is in the toilet while Peppy become's Tinseltown's newest star.
Ever wonder what happened to Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder and Macaulay Culkin? They were once in everything, but now, it's rare to find them in anything more than a cameo in an independent film. Their talent hasn't disappeared, the public's fickle attention has simply moved to someone else. This is what happens to George Valentin, and because writer/director Michel Hazanavicius remembers that, it gives this traditional story a different edge.
Making a silent film for today's risk averse and less film-intelligent audiences must have been quite a challenge for Hazanavicius (not only to film, but to get off the ground). Hazanavicius' talent is up to the task, although there are a few missteps. I came to care about these characters, and for the most part, didn't mind that their lips moved wordlessly.
The challenge with acting in a silent film is that the actor's performance relies entirely on body language. We must feel their emotions and feelings not through words like in most films, but through their faces and bodies. All the actors, especially Dujardin, have expressive faces. They convey what their characters are feeling in a way that, while referencing the over-the-topness demanded by early silent films, is still grounded.
As George, Dujardin dominates the film. There are other characters in the film, but this is his film. Dujardin was virtually an unknown in the US until this film (and he's starring in Martin Scorcese's upcoming "The Wolf of Wall Street." Dujardin conveys a lot with his face, his smile and eyebrows in particular. We can see George's ego, pride and helplessness. As the good-natured Peppy, Berenice Bejo (wife of Hazanavicius) is like a better version of Katherine Heigl. It pains me to mention Heigl in the same sentence as anyone in this film, but she and Bejo look similar (especially their smiles). Peppy looks out for George (without his knowledge). This isn't "All About Eve," and Peppy is certainly no Eve. She'll offer George help if only he'll accept it. John Goodman makes for a good movie mogul and James Cromwell is terrifically sympathetic as George's dutiful butler Clifton.
There are a few problems with "The Artist." One is the matter of dialogue. In keeping with the spirit of the talkies, Hazanavicius uses dialogue cards when dialogue is essential to the plot. It's done effectively and never jerks us out of the moment, but he doesn't do it enough. The climax fumbles slightly because of this. Sometimes the editing is a little suspect in the beginning and there is a brief clip in the beginning that dilutes part of the climax.
Although this may seem like an artsy film, it's really not. Anyone with an appreciation for film or good storytelling will enjoy this movie.
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