The Artist [PG]

I can't believe that some reviewers have seen the same film - I went with a little trepidation - as some people were only luke warm in their praise, but it was wonderful. I was entranced from the word go. It was beautiful. Original idea, beautifully executed, fab music and it all worked so well together. And yes, I agree the dog deserved an Oscar!

Magso (DI User), 28/02/12

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For my part, it was a waste of an evening.

The protagonists whilst very good looking, are unappealing, pushy movie stars, so I couldn't get drawn in to caring what happened to them - and in any case, what happens is utterly predictable.

What little plot there is, is facile, and in parts, doesn't make sense.

If you like whimsy, or you're fascinated by the 30s, maybe you'll like it. If you want plot and development of character, my advice is forget this one.

07/02/12

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The film opens with silent screen heartthrob George Valentin (the artist) at the zenith of his career, whilst girl-next-door Peppy Miller is just another face in the crowd. Enter the villain of the piece – the new technology of talking pictures. In the fast moving world of Hollywood, Valentin, with only his faithful dog for company, is soon heading for the pawnshop and hitting the bottle. Meanwhile, ingénue Miller is well on the way to talkie super-stardom.

The Artist is basically a pastiche of Singin‘ in the Rain, but without Gene Kelly, Technicolor, sharp dialogue, singin‘ or rain. With humour firmly pitched at the level of a 1930s light comedy, this is a piece of fluffy escapism ideally suited for wet Sunday afternoon viewing.

Despite fine performances from Jean Dujardin (Valentin), Bérénice Bejo (Peppy Miller) and Uggie (the dog), who all throw themselves wholeheartedly into the spirit of the film , The Artist is not Oscar material, but perhaps somebody should give the dog a bone.

Helen Ward (DI Reviewer), 05/02/12

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There is something quite nostalgic about watching a silent, black and white film that takes you back to an era when Nickelodeon wasn’t a cartoon cable channel. Inevitable comparisons are likely to be drawn to films such as Singin’ in the Rain - which also portrayed the silent-to-talkie era in film - but, unlike Kelly’s musical, The Artist’s style matches its subject matter. In that respect, Michel Hazanavicius’ film is both an original and brave piece of work.

The film starts with our hero, George Valentin, star of silent comedy, whose facial expressions do far more than dialogue – a testament to the Frenchman’s acting ability. He and his trusty dog are Hollywood’s darlings until, that is, the birth of the talking picture. Valentin refuses to believe talkies are anything more than a passing fad and so sinks into obscurity. To make matters more painful, Peppy, the young starlet he invited into the film world, is becoming the talkies’ biggest star.

Like many films of the golden era, The Artist seamlessly mixes romance, comedy and tragedy. Its use of sound (yes, there is some sound) is extremely clever, backed up throughout by Ludovic Bource’s original score. And if you fail to fall in love with the dog then you’re simply not human! This is a film which has both style and substance in abundance.

Rarely are films pronounced masterpieces as soon as they’re released, but in this case, that is the most apt description of this truly original and heart-warming film.

Felicity Marks (DI Reviewer), 25/01/12

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And the Oscar goes to - Uggie- the dog! A lovely movie, well shot, and full of charm- but if you know the acting/ directing team from the French James Bond spoofs it's unfortunately more of the same. The film lacks the smart input of Keaton or Chaplin, who would have mined this for all it is worth with today's special effects. So the movie is not without it's ho - hum moments, without the dog the 1hr 40mins would have been much longer. Still at least it got a north Oxford crowd to celebrate, lots of clapping at the end of the movie, just like we all should at the end of cracking piece of silent movie entertainment!

Moviemoghul (Unverified), 14/01/12

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There’s always one film each awards season which gets critics trying to outdo each other in 5-star hysteria – last year it was The King’s Speech, this year it’s The Artist. The good news is that this sweet homage to silent cinema is a better movie (putting it in the top 90% ever made). The less good news is that it’s just that, a sweet homage to silent cinema - please don’t sack your therapist on the promise of life-changing results from this experience.

The Artist plays wittily with the genre, and the three unknown leads (I’m counting the dog) are undeniably charming, but the film is all too authentic in its cut-out supporting roles and its featherweight storyline. Writer/director Haznavicius hasn’t overcome the problem that most silent films were one-dimensional snoozes, so it’s only the meta-cinematic sheen that gives his work any interest. It’s never a really engaging or affecting piece its own right.

See by all means, but leave the hype at the door.

Young Offender (Unverified), 12/01/12

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Brilliant, bold and beautiful, The Artist is a fabulous film. But be clear. It’s a silent film, shot in black and white. If that puts you off, poor you. One of the best films of the century, it’s a crowd-pleasing classic shot through with wit, energy and sophistication. 

Dashing George Valentin is a silent screen idol at the peak of his powers, cruising on charm, looks and overacting. But it’s the 1920s and the talkies are coming. And when George arranges for an attractive fan, Peppy Miller, to get a role as an extra, he little realises that when one star is born, another falls.

Plotwise, it doesn’t sound much. But mesmeric direction from Michel Hazanavicius and captivating performances from Jean Dujardin as Valentin and Berenice Bejo (the director’s Argentinian wife, perfectly cast) as Peppy, make for a beguiling experience. 

A comedy-drama-romance it certainly is and it more than satisfies in each respect. But The Artist is also a rhapsody of cinema itself, pushing its potential and playing with its possibilities. Nor is this a pastiche of silent movies. Just as Singing in the Rain perfectly caught the transition from silents to talkies, so too The Artist both mimics and makes history.

Hazanavicius, doing away with colour and language, leaves everything to composition, pacing and performance. And also, in two key scenes, to sound. Consequently, every frame is filled with something new, a rarity in cinema. And Ludovic Bource’s score is perfect, capturing the film’s silliness, sweetness, drama and energy.

From the off, Hazanavicius unsettles you, establishes his rules and sweeping you along. An energetic escape sees Valentin steal a plane and fly his heroine to safety; the cinema audience watching his latest film bursts into wild applause. Only we don’t hear it. We know, then, that’s it’s we who’re watching the silent film.

Like all the best crowd-pleasers destined for classic status, there’s darkness along the way. It’s a Wonderful Life, Slumdog Millionaire and now The Artist, all deftly tap into reality while spinning a celluloid dream. 

And there’s even an amusing dog. As Shakespeare in Love opined, an amusing dog can save many a production. Here, the little Jack Russell (Uggie) is a scene-stealer, keeping time with Valentin’s antics - and vice versa. Dance sequences, a dream sequence, impressive staging and Citizen Cane camera work (from Hazanavicius regular Guillaume Schiffman) all add vibrancy.

It’s a French movie, made in America and with a smattering of American names – notably John Goodman as the studio head and James Cromwell as Valentin’s faithful butler. The Artist is asking for trouble. And even though Hazanavicius is known only in France and for a series of James Bond spoofs (0SS 117) starring Dujardin and Bejo, The Artist is justifiably on course to bag juicy nominations at the BAFTAS and Oscars.

Funny, ravishing and technically beguiling, The Artist is sly, superior cinema. Rousing and surprising, it’s likely to live long in the memory. For a century at least.

Glenn Watson (DI Reviewer), 29/12/11

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