A Movie A Week - Week 6: The Artist

Movie: The Artist
Theater: Carmike 12
Snack: Coke

When I set out to find a movie to see this weekend, I expected I'd end up seeing the latest entry in the "Liam Neeson is a bad-ass" genre (that would be "The Grey"), but then I discovered that a local theater had begun showing "The Artist."  I wasn't sure what to expect going into this one.  Sure, it's gotten glowing reviews (97% on Rotten Tomatoes), but it is a silent, black & white film and I am a product of my age with the attendant attention span.  I suppose I shouldn't have been concerned, I have seen and enjoyed silent films before, but it's been a while.  As it turns out, "The Artist" managed to hold my attention for the duration.

The story is good, but it doesn't break any new ground.  What makes this movie special is not the actual story, but how it goes about telling that story.  The thing that is probably the biggest obstacle to the film garnering wider release and a larger audience, turns out to be one of its greatest storytelling strengths.  The film is not, of course, completely silent.  Like the old silent films, it is accompanied by a score.  Sadly, however, unlike the silent films of yesterday it is not live accompaniment, but it is an excellent score.  There are other sounds that are present at various points in the film, and the silence that surrounds them makes those sounds potent tools in the filmmaker's toolbox.  There's a weight to these sounds that they wouldn't have in a conventional film.  Director Michel Hazanavicius makes effective use of this.  The actors, particularly the two leads, all do a good job using physicality to compensate for the absence of dialogue.  This must have been an exciting challenge for them, being so far outside the modern film acting experience.

I liked "The Artist" and I find the more I think about it, the more I like it.  I have a lot of respect for the daring and artistry of the thing.  I'll be interested to see if the critical buzz and Oscar attention drives a larger audience to seek it out.  A silent film is not a terribly commercial thing in 2012, and is a tough sell for modern moviegoers.  Those willing to give it a shot, though, will come away satisfied.