The Artist

As I waited for two hours in a long queue to watch this movie at the Mumbai Film Festival, I wondered why I was doing so much for a silent movie, of all things. Post screening, I'm ready to brave hail, rain or the super hot Indian summer sun and stand in a serpentine queue, just to watch this movie all over again.

'The Artist' is sure to go down in history as a must-watch. For those who want to study films, for those who pursue cinema relentlessly, and also for those who just watch movies because they just like to. If you're wondering why a silent film, the movie not only answers it, but makes you fall in love with the medium. it's clearly a product of a thinking director, where every thing in the scene has a story to tell. Whether it's the ironical film posters, street signs, or just a little dog barking quietly in the corner.

I don't need to comment on the talents. The Best Actor award at Cannes 2011 has done that already. I will however mention the four-legged supporting actor in the movie. Best performance I've ever seen so far!

Enjoy this movie. Add it to your collection. This is one movie worth upgrading to from DVD to Blue Ray to ...

Jean Dujardin deserved his Palme D'or for his captivating and wonderful performance. Where to start...this film is so clever, so beautifully crafted, so mesmerising. The lost art of the silent film is once again brought to life and that era is impressively recreated, whether it be the acting style, the sets, the locations (shot in Hollywood), the shimmering black and white photography. It is obvious to see that the people behind L'artiste respected that era of film making and wanted to recreate the magic with some modern touches ( I won't spoil them) and totally succeeded. I saw this in Cannes at an 8.30 am press screening and was totally entranced. I cannot wait to see it again!

This is a treat. Charismatic leads with chemistry and talent, in a love story that plays as a pitch perfect homage to vintage Hollywood features, whilst never tipping over into parody, and that's no mean feat. The period detail is outstanding: film stocks, tints, (heck even the frame weave), captions and montage are all on the money.

There's an evocative score, an imaginative use of silence, wonderful locations and costume. All rounded off by a top notch cast which includes a brilliant dog. Dujardin is every inch the charming 20's star and Bejo is sassy, surefooted and gorgeous. Go see this people. They do make 'em like they used to!

I managed to catch a screening of this at Cannes, and if you're thinking about skipping this film because it's silent and black and white, you're going to be missing out on a very special experience.

Everything about this film is exceptional. The acting is top-notch, the story is intriguing, and despite being black and white, the film is visually appealing. The filmmakers really make great use of the medium, and even though there are no voices or color, my interest was never lost.

Jean Dujardin gives a great performance. You like him instantly and, without giving too much away, you want him to succeed. This movie is really chock full of great actors and actresses. You'll see some familiar faces, but they all blend in well with the world of the film.

I really don't know a whole lot about the director Michel Hazanavicius, but after seeing this film I'm definitely interested in seeing what he does next.

Highly recommend!

The Artist is a well-made if not particularly involving homage to the silent films of the 1920s. The film itself looks beautiful, and makes interesting use of its lack of sound. However, the story lacks interest, and is as clichéd as the silent films it pays tribute to.

The artist of the title is George Valentin, a silent film star caught in a loveless marriage to a petulant starlet. He gives a jump start to the career of actress Peppy Miller after kissing her at a premiere. However, he soon finds his stardom dwarfed by hers after the debut of talkies and losing his fortune in the stock market collapse.

The film is at its best when it plays with the whole concept of silent movies. The most impressive example is a dream sequence conveying the transition from silent to sound movies. Valentin dreams that his word, previously filled with a silent movie soundtrack, now consumed by overly loud background sounds. This may be the first time in cinematic history in which a dog's bark has conveyed the shift of an entire world.

Unfortunately, the film also suffers from one of the major flaws of silent films in general. Because of the lack of dialogue, The Artist ultimately has a simplistic story with largely one dimensional characters. To a large extent, the plot mimics that of A Star Is Born, focusing on a famous performer ultimately surpassed by his protégé. As a result, the film is boring and predictable.

Furthermore, the film emulates the least interesting of the silent movies. Rather than focusing on the more experimental films that characterized the early years of silent movies, such as The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and D. W. Griffith's work, it looks at the making of genre films. Given that The Artist, by its very nature, is aimed at film buffs with an extensive set of references, one would think they would give attention to more interesting films.

Still, the film's cast does a lot, particularly given the lack of dialogue. Penelope Ann Miller gives Valentin's harpy wife as much dimension as one can to such a one note character. John Goodman is also good as a dictatorial producer.