FILM REVIEWS: “The Artist” (yay!) and “The Debt” (boo!) on xmas eve

We decided to break tradition for Jewish xmas eve and instead of going to an early Chinese meal, we went to the movies. “The Artist” had, at last, arrived in the area and was playing at Dedham Community Theater, in a middle class suburb of Boston. The last showing was at 4:45 and we assumed that we’d have a more or less empty theater to stretch out in. After a fabulous hot chocolate at the Mocha Java cafe next door, we entered the movie in time to watch it fill up – with other Jews. I even ran into a couple of my senior fitness students.

(David Moss poster via Lucinda Marshall)

“The Artist” is a black and white silent film, a Belgium/France production, about Hollywood’s transition to talkies and a romance that weathers the change. In fact, there is a lot of loyalty in this film – between the leading man George Valentin (Jean Dujardin) who refuses to adapt to talkies and the ascending young Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo, wife of the director) he discovered; between Valentin and his life-saving doggie; between Valentin and his driver Clifton (James Cromwell); and, even on a gruff level, the producer Al Zimmer (John Goodman) and his stars.

The original music by Ludovic Bource is tone perfect – building the plot but never intrusive, and allowing for powerful silences. The actors are just over-expressive enough not to flounder without dialogue, but never over-hysterical. Berenice Bejo’s confident star turn is so full of irrepressible energy and joyful smiles that you would think the film was conceived to melt the winter chill.

The shimmery photography, the superb acting, the magical score, and the bow to a long-past form of artistry makes this just the flick to see when you want an upbeat, visually handsome experience.

The Artist trailer:
 

We came home, still in the movie mood, and decided to catch up on things we missed this season, by browsing the On Demand availables. “The Debt” was something I avoided, since I’m never keen on inviting the Mossad into my home. But like so many, my interest in Helen Mirren – the nominal star – ultimately became a consideration, despite my repugnance for security forces.

I will be brief. The film sounds like one in which every actor was told to do an accent, any accent, and pretend it was a Hebrew accent. What a load of goofy –sounding dialogue, almost comical in the range of manglings permitted, if not encouraged. The multiple timelines felt more like a function of very bad writing and directing than of sophisticated depth. We were constantly saying, “Wait. When is this? Where are we?”

The “moral dilemmas” were a bit silly and self-serving. The only intensity was in awful scenes of women being abused that I looked away from. And the idea that kidnappers would sit around listening to the manipulations of their hostage, a disgusting war criminal, beggars belief.

Mirren doesn’t do much of anything except sport a scar and look despairing. Jessica Chastain who plays the youthful version of the Mirren character and has much more facetime in this movie is stuck in a kind of innocent depression that eventually gets on the nerves. In fact, there is not a single light moment in this gray and annoying “thriller.”

The one piece of praise that I can give with conviction and some personal expertise is that the fight scenes are beautifully choreographed and very convincingly executed. I would bet that Chastain is a real-life martial artist – or else they brought in a skilled stuntwoman.

The Debt trailer

 

Comments

[Danny O'Dare]

Hi Sue,

Facebook would not allow me to share this on my wall!

All the best,
DANNY

[Sue Katz]

I wonder why they wouldn't allow a share, Danny? Hmm. Thanks for the heads-up.

[tracy]

no pithy comment, just saying i agree with you on those films!
just wish we could have seen them together.
xoxo

[Sue Katz]

I always see the best movies with you Trace - and I see them so early (that's LA for ya) that by the time I get back home, they still haven't arrived to Boston theaters. Miss you.