Review of 'Arthur', the remake.

1st Order of Business: I remember Dudley Moore being in the original and that's it. So this isn't a comparison, I'm judging this on it's own, for better or worse. For an idea on how this review is going to go, the original 1981 movie is rated at 89% fresh, and this one's at 17%. It's like they inverted it.

It's got a lot of potential, and I like Russell Brand. Unfortunately for this movie, he's carrying it, and I think they made him tone it down. Russell: if you're reading this, you're a funny guy. 'Work Blue' less and increase your family and child appeal. See: Jack Black. Jack, you could stand a little less blue, but anyhoo...

It's as if they said: "Russell, everyone else in the more main roles is so weak or underused, we've got to hold you back."

Or something.

I was going to write a big long review, but it's got so many things wrong with it that I can't begin. Jennifer Garner is a wooden shrew, Helen Mirren is wonderful, Luis Guzmán is wasted in his role, and Russell could have been so great but wasn't allowed to be. Nick Nolte is two dimensional.

We got to go for free, and I got to spend time with my pre-teen daughter, so that was the best part of the movie. And Junior Mints.

Save your money and wait for the Redbox rental.