The Artist Reviews and Ratings


  • fb100000133651439
    May 30, 2012
    fb100000133651439
    Not a movie I'd recommend to most people as it's going to take a certain kind of viewer to appreciate it. But for what it was it seemed to me to be about as good as it could have been.
  • reberscott
    May 28, 2012
    reberscott
    Brilliant, a prefect recreation of silent film. Great soundtrack, beautiful cast, great set, and directing. I was sent back to the time when films were all about leaving feeling good. The leading couple were dymnamic and exemplary. I also now have a new crush on Bejo. The dog was... read more also one of the best parts, bringing home that 20's quirkiness. Props for having the guts to take this project on and succeed beautifully.
  • fb698682211
    May 27, 2012
    fb698682211
    Entertaining novelty that revisits cinema's past. Effective and heart-warming, this comedy transcends the era of silent films, highlighting the finer aspects of traditional filmmaking for contemporary audiences.
  • FFVIICloudStrife1
    May 21, 2012
    FFVIICloudStrife1
    'The Artist' is an irresistibly charming throwback to the long lost era of silent films. It embraces a love of classic cinema in a way that feels fresh and it is endlessly entertaining. It features inspired direction and a spectacular score. Every performance here is top-notch bu... read moret credit must be paid where credit is due: Jean Dujardin is a revelation. He gives what is almost certainly the finest performance of the year and is so utterly captivating to watch. That's no easy feat when you don't get to utter a single word. Despite all of its wonders, The Artist can't help but feeling very like a bit shallow. It doesn't function as much other than a loving tribute to past cinematic glories of the silent era, but its quality cannot be argued and it is easily one of the most enjoyable films of 2011.
  • bottcorecords
    May 16, 2012
    bottcorecords
    "Out with the old, in with the new". It's what they said about silent films when the advent of "talkies" proved to be more than just a passing fad. It's what they said about many of those silent age actors too, who didn't have a voice for film, and who were soon replaced by oth... read moreer faces and names. Of course new isn't necessarily always better. At least that's what George Valentin (Jean Dujardin in an academy award winning performance) would say. When shown a film clip of a talkie for the first time, he scoffs at it's ridiculousness: where is the artistry? Valentin is an enormously successful silent film star who has just about the whole world wrapped around his finger, he's charismatic, dashing, without guile; his star power radiates like a super nova. Leaving one of his sold out movie premieres, he bumps into a young woman by the name of Peppy Miller (Bà (C)rà (C)nice Bejo), who takes an ackward situation and turns it into a paparazzi moment, schmoozing for the cameras. It's all Valentin can do to keep up with her. "Who's That Girl?" reads the Variety page headlines. Peppy takes a copy with her to a movie audition, determined to make sure the producers know. Of course Valentin runs into her again, as fate must seemingly decree, and he insists she try out for a part in his movie.

    The rise of one star and the fall of another has been done many times in hollywood, A Star is Born, All About Eve, Singin' in the Rain (even some of those Busby Berkeley musicals) have all shared similar themes, but The Artist is only marginally about that. How about the actual artist himself? The man who decrees he'd rather fail by his own creation than succeed pandering to some imagined audience. Artists of the silent screen like Buster Keaton or Douglas Fairbanks (who bears more than a passing resemblance to Dujardin's Valentin character, in both appearance and mannerisms) saw their creativity shackled as sound became the standard and their unique gifts were constrained to studio pigeon holes. In "The Artist", Valentin makes a film of unique beauty, financed by his own money, and ignored by a public still reeling from the stock market crash of 1929. His failure is not from lack of anything, save timing. But The Artist is only marginally about that too. To get to the heart of the matter, The Artist is really and simply about love. Pride makes it difficult to surrender sometimes. Sometimes we'd rather die than admit defeat at an erroneous cause. But what about the man who doesn't surrender to love? The man who is too afraid to let someone see the "real" him? More than anything, Valentin spends the movie running away from love and the surrender he must give to it.

    It's no surprise "The Artist" won five oscars (Best Costume Design, Best Directing, Best Original Score, Best Lead Actor, and Best Film of the Year), it's production is nearly flawless from one end to the other. Lead actor Jean Dujardin is positively mesmerizing as Valentin and does what few contemporary actors could achieve, his movements on the screen are like that of a ballet dancer's. The director, Michel Hazanavicius, crafts a painstakingly accurate tribute to films not just of the silent era but of the golden age of film in general. With black and white, it's all shadows and light for cinematographers, with Hazanavicius, it's all about the staircase (so many scenes revolve around staircases in this movie, watch and see if you don't notice this). It's the kind of film that will continue to stand out in one's memory years after seeing it, I'm sure. Above all, it's sweetly old-fashioned and poignant, something very rare for a film these days. Simply put, it's beautiful.
  • silverblades2
    May 14, 2012
    silverblades2
    Is The Artist the best film of the year? Not by a long shot, but it is an enjoyable 90minutes of entertainment. The Artist isn't as ground breaking as many people are giving it credit for. The original silents were much more so, and not just because they were inventing the art th... read moreat is film. This is a film that is built around a single gimmick, shot in a very traditional, Classical manner. That isn't to discredit the quality of the film. It is solid on all fronts, from script to performances, the direction, editing and set design, it's just not earth shattering or particularly insightful. It's not even particularly nostalgic using sound in places, negating the homage to the silent era. There is clearly a love of old movies demonstrated by director/writer Hazanavicius as can be seen through some obscure references. (ie. The chase film) Unfortunately, while being quite enjoyable, The Artist never manages to transcend the gimmick it is prefaced on. It's possible that it was somewhat ruined for me by the amount of hype that surrounded it, but ultimately it was a novelty film that was gunning for an Oscar, because we all know how the Academy loves to recognize films that are well made entirely within the box.
  • CloudStrife84
    May 9, 2012
    CloudStrife84
    What can I say about this wonderful film, that critics and fellow movie-goers haven't already captured in their written acclaim? Well, from a personal standpoint, and as someone who has never before experienced the great wonders of the silent film era, I was both delighted and ov... read moreerwhelmed by how much a movie so muted, can speak in such in tremendous and emotional volumes. From its very first moments, I was absorbed into this black-and-white sensation of a film, and never wanted to leave as it came to a close. Everything has been done so impeccably, so elaborately beautiful in its very essence, that you feel nothing but admiration for the cast and crew behind its making. Director Michel Hazanavicious has succeeded in the near-impossible; bringing back a classic format, that hasn't seen the light of day since 1929. A mesmerizing homage, that not only re-captures the techniques flawlessly, but entertains, moves and sweeps you off into a state of pure awe and inspiration. Yes, The Artist is every bit as amazing as they say. Deserving of all its praise and worthy of all the Oscars that are bound to come in its way. A fantastic, original and incredibly uplifting tour-de-force, that makes everything else in the repertoire look like the work of untalented hacks. A standing ovation and hats off into the air, for this magically brilliant masterpiece, that leaves you as speechless and lost for words as its gifted performers.
  • ifitz
    May 9, 2012
    ifitz
    While I don't think it should have won best picture (to some extent; I preferred "Hugo") this is a brilliant and beautiful film. It brings up an archaic form of art and acting and makes it new and accessible. It looks great, both in its mise-en-scene but also in its references, c... read moreonstantly referring old films, actors and directors. well acted and directed and featuring many giddy nerd scenes for me, I loved it!
  • fb556260937
    May 9, 2012
    fb556260937
    If you hurt someone and ignored him ,
    but later you pray to god to forgive you ,
    actually god can forgive you but don't wait and think that person will forgive you.
    just Cant watch this movie ..
  • emiliotejera
    May 7, 2012
    emiliotejera
    It is difficult to tell more about a movie you have previously heard of: the film is a tribute to the silent movies of the past, with clear references to some classics (mainly Singing in the rain: by the way, where did they get to the actress that appears with Dujardin at the beg... read moreinning of the movie -she has the same face as the one in Singing in the rain making the same role!), which combines elegance, good use of the camera and even the sound, and strong interpretations (particularly from Dujardin and Bejo, which will make us speak as much as little they spoke). Deffects? No one in particular, it is just it is not an unforgettable story, and probably it sound to you as repeated. It is not magnificent, but that a movie that remembers you the past wins the awards (with difference) in all this time of technology makes you think about how bad we are doing things today.

Summary

The Artist Summary