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The Artist is a love letter and homage to classic black-and-white silent films. The film is enormously likable and is anchored by a charming performance from Jean Dujardin, as silent movie star George Valentin. In late-1920s Hollywood, as Valentin wonders if the arrival of talking pictures will cause him to fade into oblivion, he makes an intense connection with Peppy Miller, a young dancer set for a big break. As one career declines, another flourishes, and by channeling elements of A Star Is Born and Singing in the Rain, The Artist tells the engaging story with humor, melodrama, romance, and--most importantly--silence. As wonderful as the performances by Dujardin and Bérénice Bejo (Miller) are, the real star of The Artist is cinematographer Guillaume Schiffman. Visually, the film is stunning. Crisp and beautifully contrasted, each frame is so wonderfully constructed that this sweet and unique little movie is transformed from entertaining fluff to a profound cinematic achievement. --Kira Canny
From the Studio
Hollywood 1927. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent movie superstar. The advent of the talkies will sound the death knell for his career and see him fall into oblivion. For young extra Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), it seems the sky's the limit - major movie stardom awaits. The Artist tells the story of their interlinked destinies.
Hollywood, 1927. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is one of Hollywood's reigning silent screen idols, instantly recognizable with his slim moustache and signature white tie and tails. Starring in exotic tales of intrigue and derring-do, the actor has turned out hit after hit for Kinograph, the studio run by cigar-chomping mogul Al Zimmer (John Goodman). His success has brought him an elegant mansion and an equally elegant wife, Doris (Penelope Ann Miller). Chauffeured to the studio each day by his devoted driver Clifton (James Cromwell), George is greeted by his own smiling image, emblazoned on the posters prominently placed throughout the Kinograph lot. As he happily mugs for rapturous fans and reporters at his latest film premiere, George is a man indistinguishable from his persona-- and a star secure in his future.
For young dancer Peppy Miller (Bérénice Bejo), the future will be what she makes of it. Vivacious and good-humored, with an incandescent smile and a flapper's ease of movement, Peppy first crosses George's path at his film premiere and then as an extra on his latest film at Kinograph. As they film a brief dance sequence, the leading man and the newcomer fall into a natural rhythm, the machinery of moviemaking fading into the background. But the day must finally end, sending the matinee idol and the eager hopeful back to their respective places on the Hollywood ladder.
And Hollywood itself will soon fall under sway of a captivating new starlet: talking pictures. George wants no part of the new technology, scorning the talkie as a vulgar fad destined for the dustbin. By 1929, Kinograph is preparing to cease all silent film production and George faces a choice: embrace sound, like the rising young star Peppy Miller; or risk a slide into obscurity...
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Most helpful customer reviews
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Life mirrors art mirrors life,
By
This review is from: The Artist (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (Blu-ray)
It's not often that I go to see a movie twice, but here is a brave, unusual movie that takes huge risks with the audience, and explores the dominant theme of this years Oscars, nostalgia for the old Hollywood, and movies about movies.Woody Allens Midnight in Paris cleverly explores the idea that we always yearn to live that golden period when all our heroes were alive, and introduces real characters from that period. Hugo, explores the world of a genius of the silent screen, with parallels between life and art in the movie. My week with Marilym, unfortunately not nominated for Best Picture, receiving two acting nominations, explores a movie within a movie with two actors delivering amazing performances. The Descendants starring George Clooney, set in Hawaii explores the past in a most charming way in terms of now to show how to be responsible for the legacy of the past while dealing with a major family drama. The Artist explores the ideas of love, stardom, and hubris set in the silent screen era of the 1920s, and received 10 Academy nominations including all the biggies, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Music. Recently it swept the British BAFTA awards winning 7 awards including Best Picture, Director, Actor. Cinematography, Music and Screenplay. Jean Dujardin looking like a young Sean Connery, plays an aging silent screen star. As the movie begins he plays a character within a movie that refuses to talk. Soon life will mirror art. Sometimes it's difficult to tell then apart. He accidentally bumps into an adorable young woman, Peppy Miller, an endearing ingenue who hopes to hit the big time. Soon they will accidentally meet again. I loved the impromptu dance sequence. They work together in a movie. I loved the mutiple take dance sequence. The attraction is undeniable. He gives her a beauty spot, and advice, advice which she follows to his detriment. As the times change from silent to talk, George suffers. Soon his star falls as Peppy rises to fame and, the old guard gives way to a new generation, and pride can become an obstruction to love. It makes you wonder if these two star crossed lovers will ever work it out, and find an opportunity to love each other regardless of personal circumstance. The Artist is a silent conversation about love, and who needs extensive conversation when you have two such photogenic and charismatic actors who can move us with with the crinkle of an eyebrow, or a few dance steps, whether that eyebrow expresses consternation, woe, and even occasionally joy. Undoubtedly The Artist is the most adorable movie of the year, and it did take a huge risk in daring to be a silent movie in a talking world. Happily, it is of such a high quality that is has been nominated for everything. It's main competition appears to be The Descendants. Both Clooney and Dujardin are charming and charismatic. Argentinian actress Berenice Bejo who plays Peppy has two children with Director Michel Hazanavicius. All three have previously worked together in the movie, Oss 117: Le Caire nid d'espions a James Bond spoof in French with subtitles, which shows that Dujardin is a comic genius. If you have loved the Artist which I think you will, I highly recommend you check it out, because it's really good. Although it spoofs James Bond the series of OSS117 books written by Jean Bruce (JB) precede the first Bond book written by Ian Fleming by four years. You can watch a trailer at OSS117movie. Subtitled. Post award update. The Artist won five Oscars. In addition to the biggies, Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor in a leading role, it also won for Best Original score, and Best Costume Design. I think you will enjoy it, and I hope this review was helpful.
9 of 15 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Une réussite !,
By John Doe (USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Artist (Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack) (Blu-ray)
Ce film est une réussite totale, un petit bijou : histoire, musique, acteurs (dont fait partie Uggy le petit chien surdoué), tout est beau, tout est convaincant et émouvant, drôle et tragique...Et sans besoin d'être parlant ce merveilleux petit film utilise la gestuelle parfaitement maîtrisée des acteurs et cela suffit pour nous émouvoir tout en pudeur, en élégance, en subtilités et aussi grâce à de délicieux moments d'humour et à la magie de l'image en noir et blanc... Bravo pour la performance de Jean Dujardin (prodigieux) et de Bérénice Bejo ! Il est regrettable que cette dernière n'ait pas été récompensée, elle le méritait largement!Sympathiques clins d'½il au cinéma muet et aux acteurs de cette époque magique.. Ce n'est pas du plagiat et cela ne relève pas de la prétention d'égaler les grands maîtres du genre et des grands danseurs, c'est au contraire un bel hommage qui leur est rendu là, Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds (Singing in the rain) Douglas Fairbanks(The Mark of Zorro) etc...grâce au talent des acteurs et à celui du metteur en scène qui a eu cette belle idée de tourner un film muet en noir et blanc, démarche inattendue, surprenante, complètement à contre courant de la mode. Un film français accueilli avec enthousiasme partout en Amérique (les spectateurs applaudissent dans les salles de cinéma !) déjà deux fois récompensé à Hollywood, maintenant en route pour les oscars... Encore bravo !
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