That was my reaction when rumors started to circulate that the drunken millionaire with a heart of gold may return to theatres. In my opinion, not that it should be a surprise because you know I love me some Bits, Dudly Moore is simply irreplaceable. I was livid! BEDAZZLED was bad enough; replacing Moore and Peter Cook, but ARTHUR (and its sequal) rank high on my favorite movies list. Whoever it was they tried to make Arthur, I refused to let myself get caught between the moon and NYC with him.
Serendipitiously, ARTHUR just happened to be filming around the city right after I saw its star, Rustle Brand in GET HIM TO THE GREEK and, though not Moore, he did almost get me to pee myself laughing so I thought, "whatever, it will suck but if it is free I guess I will go."
Having read reviews in which people complained how different the remake was from the original, I began to get excited and when I saw it, I was pleasantly surprised with how good it was. The key is to look at it the way I believe the filmmakers intended it, as a reimaging not a remake. Liza was amazing as Linda and nobody could top her which is why the lead character, who I like to think of as a completely different millionaire with the same name by chance, falls for a completely different girl named Naomi (Greta Gerwig.) The leads, both brilliant, are joined by Helen Miran as Hobson, a female nanny not male butler, and Jennifer Gardner as Susan Johnson, Arthur's mentally unstable (in a way that is only funny in film not life) exgirlfriend/ fiance (the original Susan role was dry and boring, but never psychotic.)
So if you are looking for the same ARTHUR with new actors, don't go see this film, you will be disappointed and angry. However, if you are in the mood for something new and funny, go for it. Either way, see the original too.
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