"The Artist" is a throwback to the early days of Hollywood, specifically to the dawn of the sound era and the effect it had on the silent film stars of the day. "The Artist" is a silent film with a mono soundtrack shot in the now obsolete Academy Standard full-frame aspect ratio. A recorded score has replaced the live orchestras that were used back then, and while the film is in black and white, it was shot on color film stock and then desaturated. So while writer / director Michel Hazanavicius has cut a few corners, in most respects it's a film in the old, old style, and while it's certainly unconventional by today's standards, it's one of the year's better films. The reason for this is simple. Great films succeed, regardless of style, because they have good stories, and "The Artist" has a good story. Jean Dujardin plays 1920s silent movie star George Valentin, who sees his career head south because he refuses to adapt to the popular new "talkies" that begin to dominate the Hollywood scene. Berenice Bejo is Peppy Miller, a rising young star who has a soft spot for Valentin and tries to rescue him from his increasingly self-destructive tendencies. "The Artist" is ultimately a story of redemption and finding one's place in a changing world, and Dujardin and Bejo both give wonderful performances. Also worth mentioning is the outstanding score from Ludovic Bource, which is the primary emotional driving force in the film. Overall, "The Artist" is an excellent throwback to a bygone era.
"The Artist" is rated PG-13 for a disturbing image and a crude gesture.
Running time: 100 minutes.
Released domestically on November 25, 2011, by The Weinstein Company.
3 stars out of 4.
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