Years pass, until one day, Al Zimmer (John Goodman), the stereotypical studio boss, shows Valentin the newest edition in technology, an attempt to record movies in sound. Valentin is disgusted with the footage and mocks it. That night he has a nightmare about how every sound is exaggerated, but his own voice is stifled. His weariness about sound films is correct, he is soon fired by Zimmer, sending him into a downward spiral as he tries to self-fund the comeback of silent films. Miller, on the other hand, is successful as the new star on the scene. As Miller continues to climb the ladder of success, Valentin’s world becomes turned upside down.
Directed by Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist takes the history of Hollywood and puts a fresh and unique spin on it. Hazanavicius has worked with Dujardin before on the James Bond parody, OSS 117. Much like his performance in OSS 117, Dujardin delivers the same, what now seems, trademark smile and cocky attitude, as he does in The Artist. Bejo brings a sort of warmth and lightheartedness to her performance that makes her character seemingly believable. However, it is the attention paid to location of this film, the authentic interpretation of the 1920’s silent film industry, and the superb casting of the supporting roles, that encapsulates the period quite nicely. In my opinion the highest honor goes to Hazanavicius,as he was so faithful to the format that I forgot I was watching a contemporary silent film at times. The Artist is up for multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor and Supporting Actress, and Cinematography. With such a wide range of special attributes, the Artist is sure to take home more than a few Oscars.