Empire's The Artist Movie Review

The Artist
A silent movie to shout about…

Plot
It is the late 1920s. George Valentin (Dujardin) is a silent-movie legend whose stardom rubs off on a budding starlet named Peppy Miller (Bejo) after a chance encounter at a premiere. At first he finds Peppy’s fame-by-association cute, but the arrival of sound turns her into a serious rival...

Review

The Artist is the one film that Harvey Weinstein ever bought that caused his brother and business partner, Bob, to question his sanity. It is in black and white, silent, was made by the French, and its biggest American star is John Goodman. Michel Hazanavicius’ wonderful film, however, should instead go down in history not as a sign of any advancing senility but as the proof of Weinstein’s humanity; it’s a film that not only communicates a profound and sincere love of the very idea of cinema, it deals with universal emotions of love and remorse and it does so with a clarity that leaves no room for ambiguity. It will play to grandparents who queued to see Singin’ In The Rain when it came out over 50 years ago just as surely as it will to kids who haven’t developed the good sense to turn off Mr. Bean yet. It may be premature to call it a masterpiece, but if that’s the technical term for a film that moves and inspires us while at the same time evoking a childlike sense of delight, then, for the first time since Steven Spielberg’s E. T. in 1982, that’s exactly what it might turn out to be.

Already, the alarm bells must be ringing: how could this possibly be the case, with a film shot in the 1:33 aspect ratio, with intertitles, rinky-dink piano and slavish use of such bygone trickery as irises, wipes and fades? The reality is that Hazanavicius hasn’t quite gone fully native; The Artist is a worthy homage but not an exact replica, and its chief departure from the ’20s is in its perfectly judged score, which acts as a fully supporting character to the two charming leads. The film also somewhat breaks its own rules; though it is almost entirely silent, it continues through the period after the silent heyday, when Peppy becomes a singing star and Valentin a hasbeen, clinging to his mute stardom and producing soundless follies that make him a laughing stock in his former kingdom.

Much of the reason for the film’s success can be ascribed to star Jean Dujardin, who simply becomes George Valentin. A small but important scene shows Valentin getting into character, one moment relaxed, smiling and gracious, the next raising his arm, hunching his shoulders and hoisting his nose into the air with the imperial, smouldering haughtiness of a John Gilbert or a Fredric March. It may even be the key scene in the movie, since this is what Valentin thinks acting is, and, by extension, who he is: this is all he can do, and when the industry changes, he finds it impossible to adapt to a new world, in which his former floosie is now the boss. The parallels with A Star Is Born are obvious and amusingly relevant; though made three times, in 1937, 1954 and 1976, that film was never made in the silent era, and now, in this modern cover version, that box is ticked too.

But this is not a one-man show: the core trio here worked together once before on the 2006 comedy OSS 117: Cairo, Nest Of Spies, a very funny spoof on the OSS 117 spy films — based on the novels of Jean Bruce — that became popular in France after the global success of the first 007 movie in 1963. And, as with OSS, there is a level of playfulness and respect here that transcends mockery; where Austin Powers was essentially a comic character who creates the chaos around him, OSS 117 (aka Hubert Bonisseur De La Bath) was a human foil to the genre conventions that were thrown at him. His one remit: to emerge smiling. Between them, Hazanavicius and Dujardin have the smarts to make that happen in The Artist, too, but the killer ingredient is Bérénice Bejo, not just as Valentin’s love interest but as his peer. The chemistry is palpable, and Bejo radiates beauty, grace and intelligence: the killer combination that proves Valentin’s undoing and also, unexpectedly, his salvation.

There are those that sneer at The Artist’s simplicities, its unfortunate inability to be a real long-lost classic, and point to the richness of the era it borrows from, a golden age that gave us such giants as F. W. Murnau, D. W. Griffith and Erich Von Stroheim. That’s not the endeavour here. The point of The Artist is to reconnect with the human spirit, see what our ancestors saw in a single close-up and find emotions in the human face that no amount of CGI can render. And at a time when the market is split to extremes between billion-dollar blockbusters and micro-budget miseries, it’s heartening to find, somewhere in a vast middle-ground, a film that revisits the basics, finding invisible fictions in a gesture, a profile, a longing look, a tear, an arched eyebrow, an embrace. The Artist may not be for snobs, but it’s not just for buffs; it’s for anyone who ever sat rapt in front of a movie screen. And let’s face it, that’s all of us.

Verdict

Reviewed by Damon Wise

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Your Reviews

Average user rating for The Artist

Can anybody PLEASE, give a Oscar to the dog!
The first time I heard of this film was in 2012 Oscar's cerimony, I thought the Academy was exaggerating giving Oscars for this movie. "A film black and white to win five Oscars, while old classics never won one?" As I was being stupid about it, I decided to watch the movie to judge it and make a bad review about it, I was determined to do it ... I'm a very different person today. After the end, I was delighted me with a FANTASTIC film, I was suprised with everything. Michel Hazanavic... More


Posted by Ralph25 at 23:30, 11 April 2013 \| Report This Post



Can anybody PLEASE, give a Oscar to the dog!
The first time I heard of this film was in 2012 Oscar's cerimony, I thought the Academy was exaggerating giving Oscars for this movie. "A film black and white to win five Oscars, while old classics never won one?" As I was being stupid about it, I decided to watch the movie to judge it and make a bad review about it, I was determined to do it ... I'm a very different person today. After the end, I was delighted me with a FANTASTIC film, I was suprised with everything. Michel Hazanavic... More


Posted by Ralph25 at 23:30, 11 April 2013 \| Report This Post



Silently Brilliant
This more than just an experiment in genre film. It is a winning story with a deadly amount of charm and personality with dashing and debonair performances. The comedy is great, but the movie itself is more than that: it is pure entertainment. ... More


Posted by Kramer Bozco at 05:48, 04 June 2012 \| Report This Post




This is the reason you love film. A simplistically charming film showing all emotions so perfectly with no spoken words. A must see ... More


Posted by danfacey711 at 17:43, 02 June 2012 \| Report This Post



Emperor's New Clothes
The dog was brilliant!! Other than that, who cares? ... More


Posted by ashy at 10:14, 13 April 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: The Artist
I enjoyed ist r me it wasn't quite the perfect film that many have written about. Dujardin and Bejo were very charming and easy on the eye and it was mostly well-performed throughout. The dog, especially, was terrific and there were some fine cameos/minor parts from the likes of Malcolm McDowell and John Goodman. Ludovic Bource's score was excellent. There were many sequences and jokes that made me smile (the hand-in-the-coat bit was a very well-played visual gag, and the tap-dancing scenes wer... More

Posted by Hungrymark at 10:38, 11 March 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: The Artist
great film my lip reading skills are better than i thought. who needs words, spoken or written? ... More

Posted by Jonnie_K at 15:14, 01 March 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: The Artist
L: pixelcat Anyway, even if I walk out feeling like it's been hyped to the nines, at least it's a brilliant concept. From what I have seen, the film looks very authentic. For those that have seen it, is it better to watch it at the cinema or on DVD? 'd see it at the cinema. ... More

Posted by adambatman82 at 14:05, 27 February 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: The Artist
L: TrendMeUp What a fantastic review. The film was just gorgeous. So full of tiny moments that make your heart swell or your face light up. It really does capture the honest joys of cinema. I sincerely hope Dujardin bags himself an Oscar as he is so full of presence, grace, humility and tragedy throughout. Magnifique. ooks like he did. Haven't seen the film myself. Waiting for a day when I need a feel good movie because it sounds like it...haha get the pun? Anyway, even if... More

Posted by pixelcat at 13:48, 27 February 2012 \| Report This Post



the artist
seen it twice now.and i must say it is one of the best films i have ever seen.perfect directing acting script it is flawless.hope to see it again in the cinema and already ordered the dvd. ... More


Posted by andy peat at 18:47, 25 February 2012 \| Report This Post



the artist
seen it twice now.and i must say it is one of the best films i have ever seen.perfect directing acting script it is flawless.hope to see it again in the cinema and already ordered the dvd. ... More


Posted by andy peat at 18:47, 25 February 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: RE:
saw this yesterday and thoroughly enjoyed it SPOILERS INCLUDED was puzzled when the cinema screen was reduced, following trailers, to fit the format of this "new / old" film, but did not notice after that... did not miss the abscence of dialogue, the score was fantastic as were the visual images both creating an emotional impact, especially towards the end with his suicide bid the dog added much humour, and the female actress playing the rising s... More


Posted by hampstead bandit at 20:53, 24 February 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: RE:
A movie that has been the frontrunner of the Oscars for a long time is finally here. And sadly, it's not as extraordinary as it should've been. Do not take that statement as a negative review. This movie’s enjoyable. It's just mildly overhyped. This film has a series of delightful scenes that mostly involve dancing or a dog, but in between those scenes it’s often plodding along with a clichéd plot. Not that a clichéd plot is a bad thing, I’ve seen clichéd plot recreated to create qu... More

Posted by threshold at 22:59, 21 February 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: RE:
L: adambatman82 fast. Dujardin says that wasn't the intention at all. "We never thought of that,” link=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/01/15/t he-artist-golden-globe-winner-jean-dujardin-on-its-surp rise-ending.html]http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/ 2012/01/15/the-artist-golden-globe-winner-jean-dujardin -on-its-surprise-ending.htmlote] Can he really be serious? Surrounded by so many US actors in a film set in Hollywood, about the transfer to talkies, it kind of ... More

Posted by elab49 at 00:27, 18 February 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: RE:
Narmour, I appreciate your comments and especially the link. Part of my (lengthy!) missive was cut off due to space but I wanted to end by saying that the only way George was allowed back into the movies was by tap dancing. He was allowed back in when, and only when, he literally danced to America's tune. With regards to the link and Dujardin's comment, it isn't necessarily the case that a director would spell out to an actor what a film is about. They primarily want the actor to act ... More

Posted by 4legsgood at 00:12, 18 February 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: RE:
How can Empire review this without a single mention of Gene Kelly? The guy was practically impersonating him throughout the entire film! Not a 5 star film for me, I felt that the energy / flair / innovation shown throughout the first third dropped off and the movie sagged in the middle. Still a quality piece of work, just not the masterpiece I was expecting. I think i'll just go and watch Singing In The Rain and get the real deal. ... More

Posted by jrewing1000 at 22:43, 09 February 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: RE:
L: narmour L: 4legsgood I feel the point of this film has been missed. The film is basically about the transfer of power in the last century from Europe to the USA and how America subsequently executed that power. I'd contend that the gestation of it was the Iraq war. Bear with me. The film starts with George Valentin appearing in 2 movies - The Russian Affair and The German Affair. Two countries involved in the key momentous political events of the last century - the Russian revo... More

Posted by adambatman82 at 15:22, 09 February 2012 \| Report This Post



RE:
L: 4legsgood I feel the point of this film has been missed. The film is basically about the transfer of power in the last century from Europe to the USA and how America subsequently executed that power. I'd contend that the gestation of it was the Iraq war. Bear with me. The film starts with George Valentin appearing in 2 movies - The Russian Affair and The German Affair. Two countries involved in the key momentous political events of the last century - the Russian revolution and World War... More

Posted by narmour at 14:12, 09 February 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: The Artist
10/10 The Artist: exceptional homage to the silent era, it’s extraordinary, it’s amazing. It’s a thoroughly engaging and unique (these days) cinematic experience. It’s a mesmerizing masterpiece ... More

Posted by m_er at 13:32, 02 February 2012 \| Report This Post



Charming and Funny For Twenty Minutes...
The opening twenty minutes and the last ten minutes were entertaining and charming, but for me it ran out of steam in between and eventually found the music repetitive and boring. The acting's fantastic but it's a simple story that's been told a thousand times before, here it's just in black & white and without words. Don't understand the oscar buzz that's surrounding this and The Descendants? Oh, well, cant' win everybody round I suppose. Genuinely believe that War Horse & The Help are ... More


Posted by Mr. Anderson at 05:23, 02 February 2012 \| Report This Post




I feel the point of this film has been missed. The film is basically about the transfer of power in the last century from Europe to the USA and how America subsequently executed that power. I'd contend that the gestation of it was the Iraq war. Bear with me. The film starts with George Valentin appearing in 2 movies - The Russian Affair and The German Affair. Two countries involved in the key momentous political events of the last century - the Russian revolution and World Wars I and II. The use... More


Posted by 4legsgood at 17:56, 30 January 2012 \| Report This Post



A Beautifully Told Experiment In Film
One of the most superbly charming films I have had the pleasure of seeing, The Artist is a wonderfully realized and expertly made slice of cinematic nostalgia. By throes tear jerking and brilliantly funny, the performances are perfect and the cinematography (many fail to appreciate that shooting for silent format is completely different to making a modern film) is classy and well-composed. The acting is suitably filled with mime and facial expressions, and lovable characters create a truly memor... More


Posted by blaud at 16:09, 30 January 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: A SIMPLE STORY.......
Loved it. A film definately deserving of the hype. And one to absolutely see at the cinema, if you can still find a showing. I did guess the content of the final scene during the third act, but when a film is this good - who cares?! **1/2 Last films seen The French Connection French Connection 2 1/2 The Artist *1/2 Cell 211 *1/2 ... More

Posted by film man aidy at 20:24, 29 January 2012 \| Report This Post



RE: A SIMPLE STORY.......
Basically Is Born In The Rain you come down tp it, but turned into a wonderful tribute to silent movies, full of wonderful moments that are designed for maximum emotional impact, including some that nearly brought me to tears, so that after a while you don't miss the absence of dialogue. Like ], it's love of pure cinema is over every frame, though it falls a little short of that masterpiece, and there is though one dreadful sequence that almost ruins it, where Ludovic Bource's fanta... More


Posted by Dr Lenera at 17:46, 26 January 2012 \| Report This Post



A SIMPLE STORY.......
....often told. This resonated with me - not because it's a silent film - but because it's pure cinema. Just visual images and music - and yet the plot was still affecting. A man trying to conquer his own demons. And what style! I wish we could have seen more of George Valentin's Austin Powers/Adam Adamant styled adventurer glimpsed briefly in the opening minutes - and the damn dog should get an oscar for every minute you see him. If all arthouse films were like this - you wouldn't hear any com... More


Posted by ROTGUT at 18:43, 23 January 2012 \| Report This Post



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The ArtistA silent movie to shout about…

The Artist
A silent movie to shout about…