Theater Whore: The Artist

The Artist is one of those films that makes you remember exactly why you enjoy movies. I know that is strong praise for a film that is getting a lot of award season buzz and all those other cute phrases people like to throw around but its true. This is a truly amazing film not just for the acting but the fact that it is a silent film made in 2011 that takes place between 1927 - 1932. I saw this movie twice this weekend. Once at The Arclight in Hollywood and the second at The Westside Pavilion. I’ve only seen a movie more than once in a theater four times in my life and I’m glad this is one of them.

The movie stars Jean Dujardin as George Valentin, a silent film superstar who along with his dog films theaters with his performances on screen. After the premiere of his latest film while taking interviews and meeting fans he literally bumps into Bérénice Bejo as Peppy Miller. He hams I up with her until she smiles for the photographers and plants a kiss on his cheek. His wife is not impressed when she sees the photo with the words “Who’s That Girl?” on the front of Variety. She heads to Hollywoodland and gets an audition as a dancer and lands a part in George’s next film.