Arthur Movie Review

Releases: 21^st April 2011
Rating: PG – Contains Violence and Course language
Duration: 110 minutes 
Genre:  Comedy

Starring: Russell brand, Helen Mirren, Jennifer Garner, Luis Guzman, Nick Nolte and Greta Gerwig

Director: Jason Winer (Modern Family)

The Premise>> Irresponsible charmer Arthur Bach (Russell Brand) has always relied on two things to get by: his limitless fortune and the good sense of lifelong nanny Hobson (Helen 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 (Greta 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 classic romantic comedy Arthur.

The Review>> This was one of those movies that you knew could either be a good bit of fun or a complete waste of time. The original film it is based on is quite possibly the quintessential Dudley Moore movie. It was a role that he owned, and it was going to be hard to imagine anyone else inhabiting it. Of course from the first moment that Brand slanked onto the screen there was this feeling that this role might have actually been his all along.

There are plenty of simple laughs and even a bit of a nice moral to the whole story about family and friends being more important than possessions.

 Although like Charlie sheen and his previous tv show there is this uncomfortable and yet funny portrayal of the consultant drinker. In some ways there is this element of glorifying the misuse of alcohol. However here as the film progresses the balance is restored.

The Conclusion>> Overall a nice comedic escape for a couple of hours.

Some extra bits to know about the film and to look out for>>

This film marks the second time, in only two years, that a character previously played by John Gielgud has been re-written as a woman and cast with Helen Mirren. Gielgud had previously played Prospero in Prospero’s Books (1991), while Mirren played Prospera in Julie Taymor’s The Tempest (2010).

This remake has been made and released practically exactly thirty years after the original Arthur (1981).

While sulking in his Batmobile after Hobson gives him an aspirin and vitamin, Arthur played by Russell Brand, scrolls through his phone to look for Naomi’s number and we briefly see Katy Perry, Brand’s wife in real life, listed as a contact.