The Artist

Rated PG-13
Runtime: 100 minutes

I've wanted to see The Artist for some time, particularly given the growing talk of Oscar® statues for acting, writing, and the movie itself. I jumped at the chance to finally see it for myself.

The Artist takes us back to the late 1920's where we meet popular silent movie star George Valentin (a debonair Jean Dujardin). Valentin delights in his stardom, and clearly adores his job as much as he loves his notariety. Struggling dancer/actress Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo) meets Valentin in the course of a public appearance, and his kindness to her only cements her determination to break into the movies herself as well as brings her admiration for Valentin to new heights.

Timing, as they say, is everything. Peppy auditions for a minor role as a dancer in a Valentin film just as a studio director (John Goodman) shows Valentin the "future" — "talkies." Valentin laughs at the very notion that movies with actual dialog will ever be more than a momentary fad, but he learns in short order that both he and his stardom are being rapidly left behind as audiences everywhere embrace the new technology and find new movie star idols to adore.

Valentin struggles to maintain both his fame and his relevance, but it's clear that his efforts are in vain. Meanwhile, Peppy's star is rising even as Valentin's is in freefall. Sadly, Valentin stands to lose even more than his stardom. His wife (Penelope Ann Miller), his chauffer (James Cromwell), and his faithful sidekick dog display varying degrees of loyalty while the man who has been the center of everything helplessly watches as he loses more and more of everything that has been his life.

The Artist brings home its point by being a silent movie itself. Filmed entirely in black and white, even the screenplay harkens back to an earlier time with its melodrama. The cinematography, set decoration, costumes, and make-up are a flawless homage to the first days of the movies. The acting, too, is beautifully calibrated to the era of silent films. But as beautifully rendered as The Artist is, I still didn't find myself as enthralled as I might have been.

BOTTOM LINE The Artist is a work of art, but unlike the greatest works, I wasn't as moved by it as I would have hoped. Both its best and its worst points stem from its authenticity. While it's a lovely movie to watch, it also somehow seems distant enough that I wasn't fully immersed in the story and never felt the depths of emotion the best movies bring to the fore in audiences. Is The Artist worth the price of a ticket? Yes, especially if you're a fan of movies in general. Is it worthy of the many awards it's received, or for which it's been nominated? In my opinion, no. The Artist isn't a bad movie by any stretch. It just isn't the best.

POLITICAL NOTES None.

FAMILY SUITABILITY The Artist is rated PG-13 for "a disturbing image and a crude gesture." I frankly think that might be stretching it a bit, and wouldn't have any problem with the rating being downgraded to a PG. Children aren't going to like The Artist, though. Everything that makes it worth watching for adults (the creativity, artistry, and even the melodrama) are the same things that won't hold the attention of a child in the theatre.