Silent film award worthy; Clooney film way overrated
The Academy Award nominations were announced recently and there was a big surprise - I only saw one of the nine films up for best picture. This number was rather embarrassing for a very serious movie critic so I resolved to amend that last weekend by seeing some of the films that were still out in theaters. By all entertainment magazine accounts, the two that I saw, “The Descendants” and “The Artist,” are the front runners for the award. One is definitely worthy, the other not so much.
In Alexander Payne’s “The Descendants,” George Clooney plays Matt King, an overworked attorney whose oversight of a 25,000-acre trust of pristine Hawaiian land has separated him from his family.
While finishing up the final touches of the contract that would sell the land to a developer (who would likely turn the lush location into a multi-million dollar hotel and shopping center), his wife is involved in a boating accident and is rendered comatose.
After finding out she will never wake up, he has to do something he hasn’t done in years – be an active parent to his two daughters. His youngest is Scottie (Amara Miller), a 10-year-old who has been bullying other children in her grade and the eldest is 17-year-old Alexandra (Shailene Woodley) who suffers from teenage girl syndrome. The symptoms include attitude, drinking and not getting along with parents, just to name a few.
While Matt has to find a way to let his kids know their mother will soon be taken off life support, he finds out his wife has been having an affair. This revelation causes Matt to take an island-hopping journey to find the man his wife had a relationship with and try to forge a bond with his fractured family.
“The Artist” is set in the late 1920s. It’s the golden age of silent cinema and there is no bigger star than the dashing George Valentin (Jean Dujardin). His movies always draw a capacity crowd and he is a favorite with the media and the adoring masses, including aspiring actress Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo).
Then, something happens to silent films; they give way to movies with sound (or “talkies”). George believes that sound is just a fad and his pride keeps him from taking those roles. Shortly thereafter, he’s not being offered any jobs, the silent movies he directs and produces flop against talking competition and his wife (Penelope Ann Miller) leaves him.
The only thing George has now is Jack, his loyal and talented Jack Russell terrier (played by Uggie, Dash and Dude – but mainly Uggie) and a clear realization that silent films will never be popular again; that he likely will never be popular again. While that may sound sad, “The Artist” is anything but. In fact, I much preferred this silent, black and white film to “The Descendants,” and that’s filmed with sound and in beautiful Hawaii.
Of the two, “The Artist” is superior in every facet. While I liked “The Descendants,” I think it’s grossly overrated. And while I like Clooney, I don’t think his performance should get him best actor. (Come on, he plays the same part all the time – himself.)
I was shocked by how much I enjoyed “The Artist.” I’ve never watched a silent film, mainly because I didn’t think I would like them, but this movie put a smile on my face from start to finish. It’s such a happy little slice of cinema and I can’t wait to see it again. And it (and Dujardin) had better take home some Academy Awards.
The Descendants: C+
The Artist: A
Dedra Cordle is a Messenger staff writer.
