NYFF ‘11: The Artist review
Film history is littered with stylish exercises that attempt to recapture the magic of another era but only rarely can a modern film take an antiquated method of filmmaking and have the story justify it as anything more than an experiment. “The Artist,” the latest throwback to a golden age of filmmaking, is set during the late 20s and hopes to revive the excitement of the silent film era. And it does so in gorgeous black and white, with an unfashionable 4:3 aspect ratio, as a silent film. That’s right. There. Is. No. Dialogue. Black and white alone is enough to send most people running from the theatre but if you say “silent film” to someone you can just see their eyes gloss over and I have to admit that even I was skeptical. The film, which made it’s debut at Cannes to rave reviews, was quickly bought up by the Weinstein Co., and is being primed as an Oscar vehicle, with all the marketing muscle they can throw behind it. Despite the near universal acclaim it’s received at various festivals I wondered if it was possible for it to warrant it’s own conceit: a silent film made in 2011.
George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is a silent film star who is riding a career high in 1927. His latest picture, “A Russian Affair” is a huge hit and he attends the films premiere to the adoration of the audience. His sidekick both onscreen and off is an adorable Jack Russell terrier who he brings out onstage to do an extended comic routine with, to the chagrin of his costar (Missi Pyle). Outside, facing an army of photographers, he bumps into Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), a day player, who plants a smooch on him during a photo op. The next day headlines of “Who is this girl?” are plastered over every newspaper in town including his wife’s (Penelope Ann Miller) who is not happy with the chummy photo. The next day George and Peppy run into each other again, this time on the set of his latest film “A German Affair,” where Peppy appears as an extra. Shortly after, George meets with the head of the studio (John Goodman) who shows him something remarkable: sound tests. George brushes it off as a fad but we know that it’s not going to be good for him.
The fact that you can probably draw out what happens from here doesn’t detract from how dazzling the film is. “The Artist” is an enchanting, hilarious and moving film that’s also one of the best I’ve seen all year. Dujardin is absolutely charming as the egocentric star, with a wide smile and crack comic timing, within minutes I too was completely on board with the film. Using only occasional cards for dialogue (the rest of the time you can figure out what’s going on without the specifics), the film traces Valentin’s career plummeting as he finds himself outdated as Hollywood looks for fresh faces for the new era of talkies. His character goes on a Don Draper-esque bender (that goes on perhaps a little long) as Peppy ascends to stardom. Both leads remain transfixing throughout. The cinematography (with nods to films from the 20s-50s including “Citizen Kane”) and score are both standouts as well. Director Michel Hazanavicius has walked a tightrope with this film and achieves the perfect balance: nostalgic without feeling too artificial, it’s really just a joy to watch.
Though it would be easy to be cynical that the film will appeal mostly to Oscar (read: old) voters, I think it’s remarkable that with the right push, for many younger generations this will probably be the first silent film they ever see. And it’s not really something that can be repeated by other films, “The Artist” is a unique creation. Though it’s 180 degrees away from “Drive,” like that film it boils down cinema to it’s barest and most potent elements. By taking away certain senses, Hazanavicius manages to enhance the others and the outcome is one of the immensely enjoyable and surprisingly moving films of 2011.
