ARTHUR (2011)

Genre: Comedy/Romance
Director: Jason Winer
Cast: Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Garner, Nick Nolte, Greta Grewig, Luis Guzmán
RunTime: 1 hr 50 mins
Released By: Warner Bros
Rating: PG (Sexual References)
Official Website: http://arthurthemovie.warnerbros.com/

Opening Day: 21 April 2011

Synopsis: Brand stars as Arthur Bach, a man who has always relied on two things to get by: his limitless fortune and the good sense of lifelong nanny Hobson (Mirren) to keep him out of trouble. Now he faces his biggest challenge, choosing between an arranged marriage that will ensure his lavish lifestyle or an uncertain future with the one thing money can't buy-Naomi (Gerwig), the only woman he has ever loved. With Naomi's inspiration and some unconventional help from Hobson, Arthur will take the most expensive risk of his life and finally learn what it means to become a man, in this re-imagining of the 1981 classic.

Movie Review:

Ever gotten yourself into a situation where an acquaintance keeps talking, and talking, - and talking – so much so that you wished you could just walk away? Ever found yourself in a fix when a friend keeps talking, and talking, and talking – so much so that you wished you could ask him to shut up? Yes, you get the idea. 20 minutes into this remake of a 1981 film of the same name, we wished leading man Russell Brand would keep quiet, even if it’s just for a while.

The English comedian plays a drunken playboy who gets to inherit a $950 million family fortune if he marries an heiress whom his mother thinks will wake him from his stupor. The problem is, he doesn’t love her one bit. Instead, he finds himself falling for a New York tour guide despite his mother’s strong objections. When he is made to choose between money and love, he goes to his nanny for help.

You heard it right – this man’s got a nanny. The supposedly fun part of this comedy helmed by first time feature director Jason Winer is featuring Helen “The Queen” Mirren as Brand’s nanny. His rubber faced antics was supposed to be a hilarious contrast to Mirren’s cold and edgy sarcasm. To a certain extent, this paring does work, until you realise that instead of being a charmer, Brand’s fast talking character is becoming an irritant instead.

The man just can’t stop shooting his mouth away – he appears in almost every other scene in this 110 minute movie and has something smart to say for almost everything. His heavy English accent may be delightful and crisp, but a prolonged period of hearing it can be, well, rather jarring to the ears. No offence to Brand, of course, because being a celebrity who is plagued with sexual addiction, drug and alcohol abuse, this role personified by Dudley Moore 30 years ago fits him like a glove. One may even feel that there is a sexy charisma whenever Brand wears leaves his fitting shirt unbuttoned, or when Mr Katy Perry appears in his tight underwear (watch out for the climatic sequence where he runs down the streets in nothing but a pair of blue briefs).

Mirren pulls no surprises here as the nanny who has been looking after the boozy playboy since he was a child. Her stateliness and dignified tone is something we have seen before, and the Academy Award winning English actress effortlessly portrays her role as a no nonsense caretaker here. It’s a pity though, that her character is seriously underdeveloped.

Greta Gerwig (Greenberg, No Strings Attached) is pleasant enough to play the Plain Jane who win’s the leading man’s heart, while Jennifer Garner (Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, Valentine’s Day) has our deepest sympathy for playing a career minded woman who has to be attracted (literally) to a magnetic bed in one of the scenes in the movie. Nick Nolte (Tropic Thunder) and Luis Guzman (The Taking of Pelham 123) also have minor roles, but are unfortunately underused. 

You have to admit that there is a decent dosage of laughs in this movie, and things get a little touching when the nanny becomes ill, but we were expecting a lot more humour and a lot less annoyance with this one.

Movie Rating:



(If seeing Russell Brand being grabbed by his balls or hearing Helen Mirren speak through a Darth Vader mask is your thing, then go lap this comedy remake up)

Reviewed by John Li