Film Review: The Artist

Director: Michel Hazanavicius
Starring: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, Uggie.

Sometimes a film comes along and does something very special. Sometimes a film comes along and gives you goosebumps. Sometimes a film comes along and is instantly timeless. The Artist comes along and does all of these things and more. I'm not usually one to take Oscar bait, but this transcends all of that. This is a love letter to another time, and is one of the most charmingly beautiful pieces of cinema I can ever remember seeing.

In 1927, George Valentin (Dujardin) is the biggest silent movie star in Hollywood. But as silent films are being phased out in favour of the "talkies", his career contrasts with young actress Peppy Miller (Bejo), who becomes the hottest star in the new age of cinema. As the lives of the two go in different directions, their paths cross frequently, as over a period of five years, their fortunes go in completely different directions. Valentin slips into obscurity, with only his faithful Jack Russell (Uggie, in a magnificent performance) for company. Meanwhile, Peppy's star only grows, as she becomes the toast of Tinseltown and the biggest star in film.

And all of this transpires without a single line of dialogue. Until the last 90 seconds or so, "The Artist" is in itself a silent film. Through the award winning score (it's already won the Golden Globe) and the body language of the stars (with infrequent text cards conveying some of the context) the story is told in a quite magnificent way. It's fully black and white, presented in a classic 4:3 ratio, and genuinely feels like you're watching a quite brilliant relic. 

There is quite simply nothing like this film around, and there hasn't been for some time. It may seem odd that a Dujardin has been nominated for, and indeed won Best Actor awards when he speaks precisely two words in the entire film, but he is fully worthy of the accolades. Bejo is fantastic as well, and it's a real shame that dogs aren't allowed to be nominated for Best Supporting Actor, as Uggie would absolutely walk it. "The Artist" is absolutely brilliant. Make sure you give it a watch.

*****