Arthur (Russell Brand) is as rich as they come, being the sole heir to a fortune built by his late father's very successful conglomeration. Yet, he is an alcoholic and a skirt-chaser supreme, going from party to bedroom to party again. The only person to stand by him and clean up the messes he creates is his longtime nanny, Hobson (Helen Mirren) who has been with him since childhood. In contrast, he has little contact with his actual, widowed mother (Geraldine James) who still runs the company. This is by choice. However, because Arthur is supposedly the one who will eventually helm the biz, his continual antics are scaring the stock holders more and more. So, mama lays down the law. Either Arthur marries a bright, rising businesswoman in their corporation, Susan (Jennifer Garner) or he will be cut off without a penny. Susan actually wants the wedding herself, for she fancies becoming the CEO in the near future. Needless to say, Arthur hates the idea but loves his money. Things get even more complicated when Art meets a penniless young beauty, Naomi (Greta Gerwig) who does inspire him to be a better person and who makes his heart go flippety-flop. Yet, a marriage to this struggling artist would result in the same excommunication. What's a poor little rich boy, er, man to do? Ah, the Hollywood remake rears its somewhat not-so-handsome head again. The original Arthur, with Dudlay Moore, Sir John Gielgud and Liza Minelli is still a funny charmer. Gielgud took home that famous golden statuette for his surprising comic turn, after a lifetime of more serious work. Here, the cast is fine as well, with Brand, Mirren, Garner, Gerwig, Nick Nolte, James, Luis Guzman and more. Brand could be viewed as the weakest link of the crew, for he is sometimes comical, sometimes annoying. But, alas, although they all try hard and are talented professionals, the material is not as funny or charming as the original. That's a shame, for the film looks great, with notable art direction, sets, costumes, et cetera. If you are stuck at home on the weekend, singing along to Sam Cooke's famous "Another Saturday Night and I Ain't Got Nobody", this film is okay entertainment. But, what kind of endorsement is that, really?
2 out of 2 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink