Simply, A Masterpiece!

The Artist (2011)

A Review By Ben Hunter

5 Out Of 5 Stars

November 23, 2011

They just don't make them like they used to ... no really.

The Artist is a film set in classic 1920's Hollywood, the silent era.  A movie that stands out from others as a unique and different tale of cinema.  It takes a chance, and as almost all of critics everywhere agree, it gambles and wins!  The Weinsteins chose wisely when they chose Michel Hazanavicius' masterpiece!

The Artist takes place during the slient era and our hero, Geroge Valentin (Jean Dujardin) is the top movie star of the period.  He runs into a girl Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) who's trying to break into the industry and become an acttress herself. 

As time passes, The Great Depression hits, and talking pictures are born.  The world gradually moves away from the silent era and its stars and want to see a new face, Peppy Miller.  So the tides turn and the new face of Hollywood is now Peppy Miller.  We see over the course of time how the relationship between the two matriculates as they both fight for their careers and fall in love in the process!

We see the talents of James Cromwell, as Clifton, the hired help of George Valentine.  Malcolm McDowell, the extra/bit player.  As well as the amazing job of veteran John Goodman, Al Zimmer, the classic, stereotypical movie studio executive of the era as he and George Valentin quest for greatness and success in the world of movies!  A brilliantly put together cast!

This is a silent picture, as if it were spit out directly from 1927 itself, and it fits right in in it's own new 2011 way!  So with this being a silent film, the music of the picture has to carry your film as it's one of the MAIN characters of the story and The Artist never fails to deliver in this category!  So composer, Ludovic Bource, who passed up a lot of big budget, important work to score this film made a wise career move, as movies like this just don't come around that often.  A movie that can stand the test of time and can easily be called one of the best of the decade!  Utilizing the talents of the greatest composer of all time in my opinion, Bernard Herrmann, GENIUS!!  I was in tears when I heard his famous music from the greatest score ever composed used in The Artist! That scene alone speaks volumes more than most movies that come around!

The art of cinema just took a giant leap forward in the battle of quantity vs. quality.  Money just doesn't matter when you see such quality of filmmaking at its finest!

The Artist ... the BEST movie ... of the year! 

The Artist

Musical, 100 Minutes, PG-13

Written & Directed By:  Michel Hazanavicius 

Cast: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman, James Cromwell