The talk of Tinseltown right now is critical darling The Artist – a black and white silent film charting a black and white silent film star’s struggle with the ‘talkie’ phase that hits Hollywood in 1929. It’s a lovingly made picture by French writer-director Michel Hazanavicius and is unsurprisingly attracting huge Oscar buzz. However, putting aside the undeniable nostalgic value it holds for cineastes, is it actually entertaining? Well, yes, although not quite as much as the rumour mill would have you believe. The opening act is breathlessly exciting and the middle segment holds its own – a nightmare sequence which features some sound design is a highlight – but the laboriously repetitive final 30-40 minutes is a real slog. Jean Dujardin is fantastic in the title role that will surely see the flood gates open for his career and, like the audiences within the movie, I was awestruck by Berenice Bejo’s young starlet Peppy Miller. A must see for film buffs.
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