The Artist

I'll admit to resisting seeing The Artist. A silent film about the silent film era didn't seem enticing at all. The decision was only made on this or something else and the something else was away while The Artist was at the secret theater. So in I went with a friend, on a Sunday night, to a theater of 6 people. In a silent film in an empty theater, even the audience is afraid to talk, cough, or even eat popcorn. You can't hide.

So we watched.

And it turned out to be a really good movie. Better than anything I've seen in a while. The story is cliche, rising young starlit, fading older silent film actor. Their paths meet at the transition of silent films to the era of the talking film. The story is shown in black & white, silent with music and subtitles. We roll in and out of their movies to the reality of their lives. Joyfulness and despair with always a connectivity between the two stars. Jean Dujardin is gathering awards as the leading man, George Valentin. Yes, he was good but John Goodman and James Cromwell (Valentin's Director and Butler) give nuanced performances that are enjoyable.  As recognizable faces they also provide the link to making a silent film accessible to audiences.

The Artist has a running time of 100 minutes. I started getting restless towards the end but the movie held my attention and I liked it. If you like understated romance, seeing the world through a different time, and film in general, you'll probably like The Artist.