The Artist (2011)

The Artist (2011)

7/10

Starring

Jean Dujardin

Bérénice Bejo

Directed by Michel Hazanavicius

The Artist is a fine film, I have to admit. I dreaded watching it because, although I like old black-and-white films, I’ve never been a fan of silent movies. So, this 2011 silent film felt like an attempt to bring back memories of an era I thought was best left with Charlie Chaplin.

When the movie started, I had to fight the urge to turn it off. But as the screenplay began to unfold and Jean Dujardin’s character, George Valentin, started acting, the movie quickly became captivating. I couldn’t help but laugh and grew curious to see how the character would make his comeback.

The movie’s screenplay is something you have to experience. This French/English film boasts a screenplay that was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards.
I’ve been asked why I talk so much about screenplays. Well, it’s because the screenplay is the backbone of a movie. It dictates how the story flows from beginning to end. The director’s job is to bring that screenplay to life on screen.
If you have a bad screenplay and a good director, you’ll get a bad movie. The same goes for a good screenplay with a bad director—you’ll still end up with a bad movie.
But with a good director like Michel Hazanavicius and a great screenplay (which he also wrote), you get a masterpiece in the making. And don’t even get me started on the movie’s score. Since it’s a silent film, the score is front and center. It has to be good and blend seamlessly with what’s happening on screen to avoid distractions. The costumes were also spot-on. While watching, I felt like I was transported back to the silent movie era.

The movie’s plot follows George Valentin, a once-famous and popular actor whose career takes a nosedive as silent films fall out of favor and “talkies” become the new trend. George fails to adapt, and soon, he becomes a shadow of his former self. The film shows how he’s helped by someone who idolized him during his heyday.

The Artist is a great movie. Don’t delay like I did—go see it, the black and white and lack of many words do not affect the quality of the movie.

Its accolades include:

• Academy Awards: 5 wins, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor.
• BAFTA Awards: 7 wins, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Original Screenplay.