The Artist (2011)

[Edgy MD]

Silent film movie star gives his kindly benediction to a gamine on the fringes of the film industry. When talkies arrive, his fortunes take a turn for the worse and keep going, while her star rises. Told almost completely silently and in the style of silent films of the era.

Academy Award winner of the year it came out, despite no appearances by Prince. Yet no thread.

[Vic Sage]

A stylish but overrated bore. It takes the plot of A STAR IS BORN, adds a cute dog and cuts out dialogue. And the dog was the best actor in it. If the lead actor was actually a brilliant physical comedian, this movie would make sense. But he's just your standard French charmer, a Gaullic Gene Kelley type. But the only reason to make a silent film is to do what they did best... COMEDY. Silent comedies transcended language (and, therefore, sound) and formed the basis of American humor for decades after the silent era ended, affecting animation, vaudeville, tv and much of what followed. The kind of romantic melodramas of the silent era that this is movie pays homage to are often best forgotten, and are certainly not unique to silent films. There is some humor here, of course, and some song-and-dance moments, too, but at its core its romantic melodrama, and its one we've seen MANY times before. The only twist here is to make it a silent film about the silent film era, but that clever conceit doesn't wear well over 2 hours. Plus the dog. the dog is cute.

That being said, its made about as well as one could expect, given the limitations of the subject.

I voted wrong... meant to give it **1/2

[Edgy MD]

I changed it to allow re-voting.

The plot is full of familiar material --- not just from A Star Is Born, but also Singing in the Rain and Sunset Boulevard. Take away the novelty of making a silent film in 2011 --- say this was the second silent film made that year --- and this is pretty forgettable. Worthwhile distraction, but not much more.

My wife --- also in agreement that the only Oscar nomination it should have gotten was for Best Dog, and even then, it would have had stiff competition from the similar (same?) terrier from Beginners --- offered the suggestion that Academy loved a movie that celebrated Hollywood and allowed actors to be the heroes.

[Vic Sage]

thank you; i fixed my vote.

yes to SINGIN IN THE RAIN. That's what put me in mind of Gene Kelly. But while i can see some of the story elements from SUNSET BOULEVARD, that movie's hilarious cynicism about Hollywood is sadly absent. And if your going to lift from SUNSET BOULEVARD, taking plot points over its nasty humor seems to be missing the point. As a great director once said (and i'm paraphrasing), if you're going to steal, steal from the best. Knowing what to take is an art in and of itself, and this movie just lifts the most banal elements from better films. which doesn't show particularly good judgment.

actors comprise the largest block of Oscar voters so i don't think your wife is wrong about this movie's oscar success. However all Oscar voters are attracted to films that get great reviews (and this did) and that take commercial risk (as this did). so its hard to put a direct cause-and-effect calculus on it.

[Frayed Knot]

Youse guys pretty much summed it up already.
A well done movie but ultimately not all that interesting and certainly not destined to be looked back on as one of those memorable Oscar winners in years to come.

[RealityChuck]

Probably the most entertaining and enjoyable movie in year. It's rare to see an entertainment these days.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Peppy Miller. Va va va voom.