MOVIES & BOOZE
6th January
With thanks to O’Brien’s Wines
MOVIES:
Esther McCarthy
www.twitter.com/esthermccarthy
The Artist (PG) *****
Jean Dujardin, Berenice Bejo, John Goodman, Uggie the Dog.
IT’S A SILENT, BLACK and white movie set in 1920s Hollywood. On paper, The Artist may sound a little too quirky for some tastes. But don’t be put off by its offbeat premise. This is a big, broad, crowd pleaser of a comedy/romance with some wonderful surprises and a terrific cast.
The perfect antidote to the January blues, we may be just a few days into 2012 but this film will surely finish among the year’s finest.
Set in Los Angeles and a co-French and US production, the movie enchanted audiences at last year’s Cannes Film Festival. It came on to the radar of top Hollywood producer - and Oscar campaigner - Harvey Weinstein.
It’s easy to see why - though the story’s a tad slight, this is the ultimate feel good movie, with an on-form cast. That includes a show-stealing performance from an adorable Jack Russell named Uggie, who has won himself quite a fan club.
The story is set during the dying days of the silent movie era, where heartthrob George Valentin (Dujardin) is a Hollywood megastar with an ego to match. At the chaotic premiere of his latest movie, he bumps into Peppy Miller (stunning French actress Bejo) a talented young wannabe and fan of Valentin.
Soon after, Miller auditions for a dance role with the studio and Valentin insists the unknown gets to star opposite him, despite the misgivings of his powerful studio boss Zimmer (a cigar-smoking Goodman).
The good-natured Miller slowly rises through the Hollywood rankings but her career only really takes off when ‘talkies’ become fashionable. At the very same time, Valentin sees his profile go into decline. Dismissed by the moguls as yesterday’s man, can he revitalise his career - and get the girl?
What emerges is a clever, delightful movie with a simple but affecting tale as its core. The two leads are impressive, and they’re aided and abetted by Uggie. Packed with charm and humour, The Artist is an utterly sublime and entertaining movie that will certainly rank among the best of this year.
The Iron Lady (12A) ***
Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Olivia Colman, Anthony Head.
THE IRON LADY is a most peculiar movie. When someone opts to make a film about one of the most divisive characters in 20th century politics, you’d expect a meaty political thriller.
Instead we get a film which focuses on Thatcher in her old age, remembering through flashback, and conversations with her deceased husband (Broadbent) some of the most significant and controversial events in her political career.
Director Phyllida Lloyd - the woman behind the massive hit movie Mamma Mia! - is of course entitled to tell the Thatcher story from whatever perspective she and her producers wished.
But even if they were setting out to give us a portrait of the woman rather than a political biopic, this still doesn’t quite give us a meaty character study. Its saving grace is, unsurprisingly, Streep, who has nailed the personality and mannerism of Thatcher as you’d expect from an actress of her calibre. Even so, this on occasion feels like a great impersonation rather than a real performance.
Moving back and forth between Thatcher in the present day as she struggles with dementia, to the early days when she first entered politics, the movie attempts to cover a broad canvass but instead only touches on significant events.
In terms of our own history, her stormy relationship with Ireland only features in a few short scenes. We see her vow to stand up to the IRA after hearing of the Hyde Park bombings and witness her grief when those close to her are killed during the Brighton bombing.
Our history aside, other stories are skimmed over too. Her relationship with Ronald Reagan is barely touched upon, while her own battles to survive growing conflict within her own party are among the best in the film, but also leave you wanting more.
Her lengthy battles in tackling the miners’ strikes and bringing Britain to war over the Falklands fare better and give some insight into Thatcher’s single-mindedness even when it came to dealing with her own cabinet.
Ends
