The Artist 2011

The Artist

2011 · Belgium, France · Directed by Michel Hazanavicius

FunnyRomanticGentle Great first watch · Easy Romantic comedy-drama

A silent-film star meets a rising performer just as recorded sound changes what cinema asks of both of them.

What to expect

Its charm comes from using silent-era form as dramatic action rather than decoration. Performance, framing, music, and carefully rationed sound translate professional change into romance and wounded pride.

How to ease in

Read faces and staging before waiting for intertitles. The film explains most shifts visually, and its rare uses of sound are meant to feel eventful.

Heads-up

A quick, non-exhaustive note Includes depression, attempted suicide, professional decline, alcohol misuse, and a house fire.
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A silent-film star meets a rising performer just as recorded sound changes what cinema asks of both of them.

I enjoy the moments when old technique becomes a new form of conversation. The film’s affection for silent cinema works best when it lets movement answer fear.

Open the note ↓

I enjoy the moments when old technique becomes a new form of conversation. The film’s affection for silent cinema works best when it lets movement answer fear.

— Momo

Momo thinking about this film

Where to go next

Want a gentler, shorter, or stranger next film? Ask Momo for something like this →
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