I shall open this review of the new, Russell Brand-led version of Arthur by disclosing I have seen the original with Dudley Moore, but not in a decade. I recall watching it on television when I was ten or eleven years old. While I remember certain details and scenes, it's not a film fresh in my mind or close to my heart. So I can only review director Jason Winer's update as a standalone film, rather than from a place of nostalgic outrage ("how dare modern Hollywood touch such a classic '80s comedy!").

Arthur (Brand) is the louche, alcoholic son of a multi-millionaire (Geraldine James). With live-in nurse/surrogate mother Hobson (Helen Mirren) in tow, he leads a fast-paced, extravagant, and meaningless whirlwind of a life. His wanton hedonism, however, embarrasses his icy birth mother, who offers him an ultimatum: wed Susan (Jennifer Garner), the despicable and ambitious daughter of a rich blue-collar contractor (Nick Nolte), or lose his inheritance. Further complicating matters is his growing love of Naomi (Greta Gerwig), a free-spirited Queens girl who gives unofficial tours of Grand Central Terminal and aspires to write for children.

Watching this film was a curious experience. Beyond a few early scenes--Arthur, using different voices, bidding against himself at an auction house--it's almost never hilarious. Winer and screenwriter Peter Baynham (Borat) don't seem to have a firm grip on the material. The pacing is lax, for example, and the negative side of Arthur's alcoholism is shied away from more than it should have been.

Yet I never found the film to be a displeasure, mostly because of the stellar stars. I'm an avowed fan of Russell Brand, and it's been exciting watching him rise to the A-list in America. The excited (at times soulful) eyes, the disorderly head of hair, the appealing cockney accent--he's a performer with boundless energy and wit. The material here isn't nearly as sharp or worthwhile as last year's Get Him to the Greek, but Brand is talented enough to compensate. He injects a great deal of vim and vigor into the oft-vanilla proceedings. Every bit his match is Greta Gerwig, the indie starlet who gave one of my favorite recent performances opposite Ben Stiller in Greenberg. She has such a warm, open, and natural presence. Brand and Gerwig share an easy chemistry. There is a playful sweetness to their scenes together, including one where he rents Grand Central and stages a romantic evening for her (complete with acrobats and personalized Pez dispensers).

As Hobson, the grand Helen Mirren gives a more or less faultless performances. She won't win an Oscar as John Gielgud did for portraying the original Arthur's butler, but she delivers her biting lines well, and there is always compassion in her eyes. I, alas, can't offer similar praise to Jennifer Garner. I don't necessarily blame the actress, though. She's just been saddled with an awful, awful role. Susan is a one-note shrew with almost no redeeming qualities. Her scenes are airless, a chore to sit through. Had this antagonist been written with more complexity and humanity, I'm sure Garner could have mustered a more appealing performance. The same can be said of Nick Nolte, who is squandered in a role best described as extraneous and plain old strange. (There is a scene where he grabs hold of Arthur and pushes his face closer and closer to a saw. You almost forget you're watching a PG-13 romantic comedy.)

All in all, this isn't a very successful comedy. It won't be seen as a significant career achievement for any of the principals. Yet Brand and Gerwig are too dynamite a screen pairing, and their interactions too winning, to completely dismiss it. I wish I laughed more. I wish I felt more. But I did have a smile on my face for much of the film, and I don't regret going.

B-

Just saw this on the front page, guess you post it on both places....someone can delete this comment from the front page if you want.

This is good enough.....

******

From the above review > While I remember certain details and scenes, it's not a film fresh in my mind or close to my heart.

Really sad that you can't appreciate such a great movie! Anyway, others should go out and rent it...and the following shows why...it is a great movie...forgetting about the above's bad or very questionable taste.

Academy Awards, USA

Won
Oscar
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
John Gielgud

Won
Best Music, Original Song
For the song "Arthur's Theme (Best That You Can Do)"

Nominated

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Dudley Moore

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen
Steve Gordon

I wasn't trying to disrespect the original, lol. You don't need to convince me of anything. I'm well aware it won Oscars and is seen as a classic by a lot of people (though I also know people who feel it's fairly overrated/hasn't aged well).

It's just not a movie I've seen in a long time, so I thought I'd be honest upfront.

Without seeing the original, I found Arthur to be a good enough comedy that keeps its laughs going thanks mostly to a solid turnabout by Russell Brand. The story is fairly simple but Arthur's mother's reasoning and constant selfishness does seem to override the film a little bit much. Greta Gerwig is very charming in her supporting role and works well with Brand. The same can also be said for Helen Mirren. Jeniffer Garner though is terrible and almost too obnoxious. The laughs don't go overboard and keep a steady pace. Though when the film reaches some dramatic moments, they become a bit repetitive and a drag. It's a good comedy in the end but could of been better if the dramatics had some fine tuning. **1/2

Its a surprisingly faithful remake. If you like Russell Brand, you'll be amused--its a much better showcase than Get Him to the Greek, which was painful. Its not much of a movie, but did anyone think it would be?