The Artist Review

Justin, Dad and I saw The Artist today on December 31, 2011. What an excellent movie!!! I loved it because it was something different and the acting was incredible!! The storyline was great in its own right basically highlighting the transition from silent film to the "talkies." This movie literally was shot as a silent movie, and I couldn't believe how amazing the finished product came out. George Valentin is a big shot movie star in Hollywood circa 1927 right around the time where the transition was about to be made. He was played by Jean Dujardin and I am going on the record right now and saying I am 100% in favor of him picking up the Golden Globe and the Oscar. He is the most deserving candidate. As much as I'd love to see Leonardo DiCaprio get it, Dujardin gave one of the best performances I've ever seen. He was on top of the world highlighted in newspapers and the women loved him. He has a signature mustache and he resorts to action and physical comedy in his movies to entertain the audience. The theater is packed at his movies. The audience applauds and loves him. He always has a smile on his face. After walking out of one of his premieres he stumbles into a beautiful girl in the crowd named Peppy Miller, who was played by Berenice Bejo, yet somebody else I am in favor of winning a Globe and an Oscar, as she did very well in her role as well. George is looking for dancers for his next picture and Peppy gets a part as a dancer. During the production of the picture, Al Zimmer the manager of the movie studio that George is a part of is planning for the future telling George that the silent film era is ending and the talkies are the future. George laughs at him and thinks this fad will never take off. Peppy is attracted to George and vice versa, and you really couldn't blame him when his wife ignores him and doesn't respect him at all. He gives Peppy a drawn on mole as a signature. He tells her you need something that sets you apart. All of a sudden, we watch as the talkies and Peppy's career skyrocket while George and his silent films barely have half a theater. He resorts to alcohol and refuses to get involved with the talkies. We watch as he basically hits rock bottom. One of my favorite scenes is when he talks to a shadow of himself on the projection screen saying he's a loser and nobody cares about you. He destroys his films, but grasps onto one as his career burns down around him. Peppy is trying to revive George's career by encouraging Al to put him in the movie with her or she walks. Really awesome stuff!! Peppy is a great female character: strong, confident, and insightful. She feels that if you can combine the stars from the two eras into one picture it will be amazing. George is at the end of his rope and is about to take drastic measures, but she arrives in the nick of time and helps him to realize that people still love George Valentin. The ending shows us that George agrees to this. Peppy never forgot who got her the big break and I loved how she kept trying to pick him up and help him out. I really enjoyed this movie and feel it is definitely one of the best films in a long time. This movie deserves to win Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Actress at the Golden Globes and The Oscars. I like alot of the nominees, but I am 100% in favor of this winning the awards as I feel its the most deserving movie on the ballot and Jean Dujardin was phenomenal as I said. This earned a 5/5 for all the hard work put into it and the amazing acting fueling an amazing story!!!