97% The Artist

"This is a film made for a guy like me. A guy who wasted, wastes, and will waste hours and hours on movies because they are simply my life and I feel quite sad that I still cannot express through words what I feel when I watch these movies." Michel Hazanavicius' reverence towards the artistry of the era of silent films lashes out a poetic mediation on Hollywood and also on the life of the artists that we adore. "The Artist" jumps over the gimmick form and gives it's content a great value. Filled with emotion and joy, the film succeeds to deliver not only one of the best tributes to our cinema but also one of the sweetest love stories and stories of struggle and dedication. The story is quite ravishing. George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a silent-film actor faces the prospect of change, true love, loneliness, disappointment and commitment to the acting world. The hard time of accepting change in the art that made you a great man is understandable. The desire to fight against the current is a theme that lives through this emotional mirage. The power to accept it though, the power to fight for yourself as a human being and for your artistry is the brave resolution a honest man will always come to. Being an actor is not an easy job. You have to deal with your own ego, with your own passion and desire to change the world through your work. You have to give up your pride and surrender to the new. You have to also embrace and remember the past and who you were. You have to deal with eventual financial collapse and work your way to the top again. You have to handle personal frustrations and the frustration of others. It's a messy character that you become in the real life but for an actor... what's the definition of "real life"? The same issues our protagonist must face. Thanks to a great character design and development, George Valentin and his little four-legged friend become truly unforgettable on screen. Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) is the new pair of legs in Hollywood. A breath of fresh air which got acquainted with the acting world thanks to George. She's passionate and has a warm heart but she's dedicated to a life that George does not understand yet. The relationship between these two progresses beautifully by adding salty moments through the vast display of typical but funny situations. Their chemistry is one of the best I've seen in recent years in movies and obviously it works like hell. You cannot hold but to embrace these characters and support them and cheer for them. This movie was made to move audiences by using a technique that has been lost in the archives of natural beauty. However, the film's main purpose is still to pay respects to the classics. You can see that through the elements of both acting and storytelling met in the classic films of Hollywood. The technical execution is also superb giving the film a sense of realism and authenticity. The score composed by Ludovic Bource is simply brilliant. Subtle, full of energy and emotion, and quite varied. The addition of a classic musical masterpiece like the Vertigo theme is the stand out moment. A powerful tool used perfectly in suiting our characters evolution and the most important moments in our story. "The Artist" is brilliant especially in this age and it deserves all the praise and all the nominations and awards in all the categories. Tragic, inspiring, emotional and most of all, melancholic. This movie really shows it's artistry through it's design, it's craft, it's acting, it's tribute to the greatness of cinema but most of all, through it's beautiful story. This is a film made for a guy like me. A guy who wasted, wastes, and will waste hours and hours on movies because they are simply my life and I feel quite sad that I still cannot express through words what I feel when I watch these movies. They complete me. I could go on and on on the importance of this film in today's puzzled world. However, I will not do that and I will only advise you to watch it and can only hope for you to enjoy it as much as I did. Storyline: 9.0 Acting: 10 Technical Execution: 9.3 Replay Value: 9.0 =================== Overall: 9.3

January 23, 2012

Source: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_artist/

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