To almost no one's surprise, "The Artist" (2011) became the 84th film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture and the first (mostly) silent film to win since the inaugural ceremony in 1927. For many moviegoers, the film is their first introduction to black-and-white silent films and the fondly remembered Golden Era of Hollywood. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, "The Artist" won five of the most prestigious Oscars on Sunday night including Best Picture: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for Jean Dujardin's performance, Best Directing for director Michel Hazanavicius, Best Costume Design for Mark Bridges and Best Original Score for Ludovic Bource.
"The Artist" focuses on a simpler time in America when feel-good movies were successful solely because of who was in them. Enter George Valentin played by Dujardin, the hottest ticket in town, who does it all dancing, acting and hamming it up in front of the cameras. He is drunk on his own success and does not want to sober up.
Hazanavicius successfully recreates Hollywood in the full swing of the 1920s with its "Great Gatsby"-esque opulent extravagance. Dujardin's portrayal of the silent film star forced into early retirement as talkies gain popularity embodies the period's ideals without ever offering a word of dialogue. Living in a house adorned with a full-size portrait of himself, Valentin exudes self-confidence with a smile and wink, assuming anything is possible, even directing, producing, writing and starring in his own silent production to protest the talkies.
His romantic interest, Peppy Miller, played by Berenice Bejo, nominated for Best Supporting Actress, is the stereotypical young woman who dreams of making it big in Hollywood. A chance encounter with Valentin leads to an unlikely friendship between the star and the aspiring young actress. Eventually, Peppy gets her big break as an actress in the new and exciting talking films, but as her star rises, Valentin's falls. In refusing to adapt to the changing trends, Valentin's success fades, and he is pushed to the brink of madness by his failures.
Valentin's only respite during his fall from fame is in his friend and companion, his Jack Russell terrier. The dog who portrayed Valentin's friend stealing the spotlight in many scenes of "The Artist" stepped onstage during the Oscars to accept the final award with the rest of the cast, drawing as much attention as Hazanavicius and Dujardin. All in all, the film, aided by Bource's amazing score, not only makes audiences forget that they are watching a silent film, but also make them wish Hollywood took more risks and made more films like this.
That said, strong acting performances even from a dog and a wonderful aesthetic do not alone make an amazing film. By paying homage to the silent film era, Hazanavicius forgot to create an interesting plot to keep the audience hooked. Plot developments do not appear linear, and if this is your first silent movie, be aware that there are better films out there look at any made by filmmaker Buster Keaton.
It is mainly for that reason that "The Artist" was not my choice to win Best Picture. My pick would have been "The Descendants" (2011), the only other film in this year's race that actually had a chance of winning. The other nominees included "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" (2011), "The Help" (2011), "Hugo" (2011), "Midnight in Paris" (2011), "Moneyball" (2011), "The Tree of Life" (2011) and "War Horse" (2011).
"The Descendants" (2011) was a vastly different film. It had a more engaging plot, featured powerhouse performances from its whole cast and boasts an amazing script. Unlike "The Artist," "The Descendants" also shared a relatable family-driven plot that dealt with loss, adultery and the difficulties of parenthood. Although it might not be as easy for an average audience to relate to, "The Artist" was virtually locked for the big prize on Sunday after sweeping the major guild awards this year.
In addition, newcomer director and writer Hazanavicius was not a surprise winner, but he did beat out legendary directors like Terrence Malick, Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen. Malick should have taken home the prize for best directing his surreal and beautiful "The Tree of Life." In comparison to last year's Best Direcor race between Tom Hooper and David Fincher, however, Hazanavicius is far from an unworthy candidate and winner of the prize.
From a political standpoint, picking "The Artist" for Best Picture may have been a smart move on the Academy's part after last year, when it shafted the modern and groundbreaking "The Social Network" (2010) in favor of the more predictable "The King's Speech" (2010). Last year, the Academy was accused of being out of touch and comprised of voters who were too afraid to take risks. Although "The Artist" as a silent black-and-white film in the 21st century definitely represents a risk, it is also a clear reference to older and more conservative film methods. By contrast, more popular and relatable films like "The Social Network" and "The Descendants" still remain ignored by the Academy in favor of more serious, historical period-piece films.
Sadly, then, "The Artist" is not really all that innovative. It is not the first silent film, and it will not cause a proliferation of similar films. In comparison, the success of "Avatar" (2009) increased the number of films that used 3-D technology. By resurrecting a type of movie that has been dead for over 80 years, Hazanavicius has employed a trick usually reserved for hipsters: taking something old and making it cool again. He should be commended for reminding the world of a timeless art form, but not rewarded with the industry's highest honor.
"The Artist" is currently playing at the Nugget and will be shown in Spaulding Auditorium on Mar. 7 at 7 p.m.
