The Artist

The sound of the film unwinding... My watch ticking... The crunch of popcorn.

All this I could hear while I watched the incredible film The Artist. I'm sure when you read that your thinking... 'how annoying and distracting', well yes. It was, but for a very good reason. It was fascinating what happened when  something as simple as spoken words in a film was taken away leaving the viewer to concentrate on the story of the life of an artist from fame and glory through the fast downward spiral to nothing. The orchestral music accompanying the film was enough to create atmosphere, it told its own story and was heart wrenching-ly beautiful, accompanying the actors to perfection. Jean Dujardin, french actor playing the life of George Valentin was divine. That is all. He so believably lead the audience through such a turmoil period of ones life with sophistication and tragic class.  My only criticism was the unbelievable (and not in the good way) tapping. There was the right sounds and lazy steps that didn't match, but in this case forgivable. Bérénice Bejo and Penelope Ann Miller were the stand out actresses for me. Bérénice shared a vibrant liveliness through her character Peppy and brought me to tears with her desperate longing to help. They both shared an ancient beauty in not just their looks but an acting style - a heightened reality - needless to say though it was suitable and when in the theater industry is it not a little ... well ... theatrical.

So if you get a chance and it's still in a cinema near you.. take your watch off, wear comfy undies and do it. You won't regret it.