Review of The Artist

Jean Dujardin gives a absolutely masterful performance as George Valentin, a silent movie star unwilling to adapt to the "talkies". He *is* the character, it was impossible to pick even a single false moment in his performance. Overall, the movie feels like an exercise in proving that a silent movie can be made in the 21st century and it can be fairly entertaining. The focus is firmly on the character of Valentin rather than on the story, which while entertaining is fairly run of the mill.