Directed by Michael Hazanavicius

Starring Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, John Goodman

George Valentin, a silent movie star, sees his career fade with the advent of sound in the movies as an early co-star of his, Peppy Miller, sees her star rise.

When I first heard about The Artist I was interested – I have never seen a silent film in the cinema and a modern silent film – is there an audience for this type of film? Then it started getting awards buzz and I didn’t want to see it for fear of getting swept away with the hype. Fortunately I managed to see it before it disappeared and I am glad that I did. The Artist doesn’t break any boundaries in terms of story but the way that it is told and the performances of the two leads is what makes it stand out. The depth of emotions conveyed by the leads – in fact, the entire cast – is fantastic, highlighting a good actor doesn’t need dialogue to tell a story. Aside from an excellent dream sequence in the middle, The Artist only uses musical accompaniment with a smattering of intertitles in place of local sounds and whilst this is odd to begin with (never seen a film told this way), it quickly becomes very easy to follow the plot beats and is quite liberating to see a story told in this way. The Artist is an excellent film, showcasing a lot of talent and is a thoroughly enjoyable experience. See it.

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I wouldn’t know what to suggest that is in a similar vein to The Artist that I have seen. Terrible I know, but I’ve not seen anything like this!