Although we knew the Artist had won a number of awards, and had heard it was mostly a silent film, it was a surprise how successfully the producers/directors/actors carried that off.
The movie could have been a sentimentalistic slobber, but was smart, quick moving and engaging. The acting by Jean Dejardin and Berenice Bejo was a treat. And their dancing was about as good as it gets. The last surprise of the film was that when Dejardin spoke - he spoke in a French accent. The movie is so well adapted to a Hollywood time/space that I simply forgot that it was a French made film.