The Artist

This film is a visual treat.  It makes for a perfect date night because of the charming romance and pretentiousness of taking your date to a black and white film. What makes this film work is that Jean Dujardin and Berenice Bejo have an unmatched chemistry. These two French actors were unbeknownst to me and that is why the movies works. All I saw were two characters and not actors playing characters.

The film starts in 1927. Famed silent actor George Valentin is living large. His movies are successful and people adore him. He has a chance encounter with an aspiring actress named Peppy Miller. The two meet cute and the chemistry is off the charts. However, he is married and she becomes the face of “talking” pictures.

Their two paths diverge and their lives go in radically different directions. What follows is a joyful film that is far from a black and white gimmick. The Artist is a love letter to the silent era that feels contemporary.

Watch this movie. Dig the score. Love the dog. Leave happy.