The Artist ☆☆☆☆

I know I'm pretty late to this party but I finally got to see The Artist after months of waiting and anticipation. And I LOVED it. Couldn't stop smiling for the whole 100 minutes, except when the story turned sad, and it very surprisingly did on more than one occasion.

So, for those who didn't know, this is a silent movie about the changes in filmmaking in the late 1920s. It follows George Valentin, a silent movie star who refuses to succumb to the new era of 'talkies', and his struggle to come to terms with insignificance. It also charts the impact one young aspiring actress, the brilliantly named Peppy Miller, has on the fallen idol, and the effect George has on her.

Okay so first the acting. Jean Dujardin deserves every accolade thrust upon him this awards season because he is simply brilliant. From playing the selfish limelight hogging star to the down and out of work actor, you never require him to talk. Not once do you long to hear him exclaim his joy or despair because his face and his actions say it all. Often actors are applauded for their understated performance, this film required the opposite and Jean delivered. He is also an amazing dancer and rather dashing, which all helps!
His female co-star, Berenice Bejo, who some may recognise from a Knights Tale (she played Shannyn Sossamons handmaid), also deserves her nominations, and I think should win the Oscar this year. Not only is she stunning, but she is funny, endearing, charming, and more than a match for Dujardin's star power.

The other co-star, who has been at the heart of a campaign to start awarding animals at the Oscars, is Uggie the dog. Uggie is fantastic, there are a couple of particularly poignant scenes that he just brings so much more emotion to, and that's important, he never steals the spotlight but makes it shine so much brighter on whoever else is sharing the screen. He is particularly fantastic at being 'shot', but its the loyalty and friendship of master and dog that properly tugs your heart strings.

The rest of the cast are fantastic; from John Goodmans performance as the director of a production company tied to the whims of his stars, to Joel Murray (Mad Men) and his two minutes of screen time spent chasing the dog. The support cast only add to the magic.

The direction and production is truly nostalgic, with twists of the modern. Michel Hazanavicius is the man behind the camera, dialogue (just because you can't hear them doesn't mean nobody speaks!) and scenario. I've not seen his previous works, being only versed in French cinema that makes it through the Western critics, but from his take on the silent era and being unafraid to go to darker places within the nostalgia makes me confident I will like his films and will make it my mission to see at least one in the next couple of months.

The film defies convention by being filmed in 1.37:1...basically not widescreen (Pirates of the Caribbean was 2.35:1). It is black and white, almost entirely without speech, and full musical score that makes you wish you had an orchestra in the cinema like in the '20s. It is a true piece of art that won't, and should not, be mimicked in the future. As one critic said at the Oscar announcements The Artist is the critics darling, it is so unique amongst the blockbusters and 'talkies', which is one of the reasons why it has done so well. I think that is fair, it is the current darling, but it has earnt its place amongst the awards through confident direction and superb acting by man, woman and dog.

If you have not seen The Artist I urge you to do so, it is funny, heartwarming, tragic, and ultimately a beautiful piece of Art.