A self-referential, black-and-white silent film, The Artist is the story of George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), a silent picture megastar and Clark Gable lookalike whose life and career crumble to pieces after he refuses to star in "talkies." Berenice Bejo, who resembles Rachel McAdams and Michelle Monaghan, complements Jean as Peppy Miller, an effervescent, up-and-coming actress who tries to help the washed-up title character revive his career. Undoubtedly, The Artist, which pays homage to such classics as Alan Crosland's The Jazz Singer (1927), Stanley Donen's Singin' In The Rain (1951), Billy Wilder's Sunset Boulevard (1950), and Charlie Chaplin's City Lights (1931), excels by playfully utilizing the many visual techniques of early cinema: camera cards, canted angles, lively dance numbers, wipes and iris-oriented scene changes, spinning newspaper montages, and a sidekick jack russell terrier (who could be mistaken for Asta from The Thin Man), just to name a few. In addition, those who prefer celluloid over digital will appreciate the cinematography of The Artist, which is shot in shadowy, low-key and bright, grainy lighting.
However, The Artist, which features several cameos by John Goodman, Malcolm McDowell, and James Cromwell, primarily excels as a film because the director keeps the story simple, innocent, and upbeat. Perhaps, in echoing the optimistic tone of films made in the 1930s, Hazanavicius is sending us the message that in an anxiety-filled era of global extremism, broken dreams, and digital streaming, art still must serve as a gleeful, entertaining escape from reality...either that or he's sending us the message that our Academy should create a new category for the 2011 Oscars: Best Supporting Canine (Arthur from The Beginners, I wish you the best of luck).
I give The Artist a 9/10.
