[EyeSore] The Artist Review

[The Artist]

   “The Artist” won this years Best Picture Oscar, among many other awards. The question remains, is this silent film actually worthy of such a title?

   “The Artist” longs to bring back the magic of cinematic storytelling audiences have since forgotten. It succeeds instead by merely instilling a curiosity in that magic. Try as it might to convince me otherwise, I never did believe this film was created in the time period portrayed. -1

   This failure to recreate the films on which it was based, does not mean it is a bad movie. Along the way “The Artist” creates an amazing homage to cinema’s earliest beginnings. Acting as a link to the past for those viewers unaware of a time without sound in film.

   “The Artist” achieves this by telling the story of silent film star George Valentin, at the peak of his career, while simultaneously at the downfall of his profession. Enter the love of his life, Peppy Miller, a woman rising to stardom on the coattails of George's failure.

   What is essentially a telling of a man's midlife crisis, is turned into so much more through some truly outstanding performances. Nominated for Best Actor and Supporting Actress, Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo rule the screen together. The two of them make very strong arguments for these awards, and likely with take them both.

   Not everything is roses and ponies though. If you go into this film expecting the song and dance shown in the many commercials and trailers, expect to leave disappointed. Sold as a film crammed to the teeth with dance numbers, a dance is only teased at in the beginning. Peppy begins her rise to fame in a musical role, setting the expectation in the viewer early on that movement will soon fill the screen. This is never delivered upon, and “The Artist” manages to bring only 1 single dance at it's very end. This can leave the film to feel slightly empty at moments throughout. -1

   Review aside there is one leading star worthy of a Best Actor win. An actor who absolutely steals every frame he is on. That lead actor is none other than Uggie the dog. How a dog could be trained to this extent floored me. He is a treat that keeps the audience laughing and impressed throughout the movie. In all seriousness, if this film does win Best Picture, and it likely will, Uggie deserves an Oscar right beside his human counterparts.

“The Artist” Gets an 8 out of 10