2012: The Year in Film: "The Artist" Review

So despite the better part of a month of being encouraged/nagged/begged to see this one by friends and the media alike, I just flat out refused. Black and white? Silent? NO THANKS. Well, after reading Roger Ebert and basically every other critic on the planet jerk this thing off for weeks and hearing all the awards-season hype, I decided that there was no way I wasn't going to catch this one before the Oscars. So, early in the afternoon of Oscar day, I caught this one in a theater full of the elderly (I was, no joke, one of 3 people in the theater under the age of 55).. and boy was I surprised. This is just a good time at the movies, no doubt about it.

So I fancy myself a movie nerd.. but if there's one gap in my movie knowledge, it's the classics.. basically anything made before 1970 I probably haven't seen. I blame working and living.. I can barely keep up with everything that's come out in recent years, let alone go back and supplement my movie viewership with the classics. There are only so many hours in a day. So as a result, I am largely unacquainted with silent flicks. I have no problem with black and white, but silent? It's just so far from my area of expertise and familiarity that I didn't have much interest. I mean, I quote movies incessantly, what would a silent flick possibly have to offer? This is the mindset with which I went in to "The Artist"..

Well, it took watching this movie to realize that a movie is a movie is a movie.. whether it's in 2D, black and white, technicolor, full color, 3D, full sound, part sound, no sound, whatever, if there's a story worth telling with capable actors, it's worth telling, and absolutely worth watching.

The year is 1927, and silent film star George Valentin is the biggest thing in Hollywood.. putting out hit after hit and charming the pants off of audiences and fans alike. A chance meeting with a lovely young fan and Hollywood hopeful sets Peppy Miller's star in motion, and the onset of the "talkie" leads to his star's fade. With only his trusty (and adorable) dog, Uggie, George gradually falls into poverty, forced to pawn and auction the remnants of his career. As the Great Depression takes its toll, new star Peppy Miller never forgets who gave her her start while George struggles to deal with his new station as booze and depression takes its toll on his life and career. No worries, there is a happy ending.


Jean Dujardin is remarkable.. completely magnetic. If Hollywood was still a silent town this man would be the biggest star on the planet. He's charming, he's funny, he's expressive and he absolutely owns the screen, and the man can dance. Berenice Bejo is adorable and completely believable as the new young "it" girl. John Goodman is strong as an over-the-top studio head. James Cromwell is great as George's loyal chauffeur. I would be remiss to not mention Uggie. That does is something. He's really remarkable, and I wonder if every shot involving him took 500 takes or if that dog is really THAT expressive and charming?

As both an homage to the Hollywood of years past and as its own work the Artist is truly a great film. This flick will suck you in and win you over.. trust me. I think I've been to 5 or 6 films where the audience applauds, and the audience burst into spontaneous applause at the end of this one. Keep in mind, this was a Golden Buckeye audience. So damn watchable.. and if it's not an all-time great, it's certainly a great little movie with a lot to offer.

9/10.