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ARTHUR (2011)Movie Reviews
Comedy and remake of the 1981 movie of the same name, about a neer-do-well millionaire who stands to be disinherited if he doesn't go through with a marriage arranged by his family. Cast:Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Greta Gerwig, Jennifer Garner, Nick NolteDirector:Jason WinerRelease Date:April 8, 2011DVD Release:July 15, 2011From:Warner Bros.Rating:PG-13Length:1 hr. 50 min.
Arthur (2011) played to fair reviews. • Moira Macdonald wrote in the Seattle Times, "...pretty faithful to the original, which is to say that there's not much there other than a wispy and frequently drunken fairy tale." • Peter Keough wrote in the Boston Phoenix, "...a stilted, cloying, smarmy exercise in forced whimsy and crude farce..." • And Steve Persall wrote in the St. Petersburg Times, "Is this really the best that you can do?" More Reviews Below...
Arthur (2011) Positive Reviews (46 Reviews, reviews below)
David Germain, Associated Press: MODERATE(cg) "...a benign bit of fluff... has little of its own to offer.... Like almost every remake, the movie has no reason to exist, other than to cash in with today's fans..."(See all of David Germain's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 670 words, 04/07/11
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...competent on its own terms, yet as the movie went on I found it increasingly hard to separate the character's self-indulgence from that of the actor playing him."(See all of Owen Gleiberman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 711 words, 04/08/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a fairly close remake of the great 1981 Dudley Moore movie, with pleasures of its own.... The casting of Greta Gerwig works nicely."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 708 words, 04/08/11
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: MODERATE(cg) "...it isn't funny.... the more we watch Russell Brand illustrate how he is not the perfect choice to play Arthur, the more we think about Dudley Moore."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 950 words, 04/10/11
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (13 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: WEAK "...made according to a lazy and cynical commercial blueprint.... the story lurches through contrived, seminaughty comic set pieces toward a sentimental ending."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 861 words, 04/08/11
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: POOR(cg) "It's hard to tell when this Arthur is drunk and when he's not, because he is, always, as phony and as funny as a two-dollar bill."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 451 words, 04/08/11
Kyle Smith, New York Post: WEAK(cg) "...rapidly descends the rungs of the comedy ladder from 'unfunny' to 'irritating'... Unable to relax, Brand is unable to charm."(See all of Kyle Smith's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 649 words, 04/08/11
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: VERY GOOD(cg) "...a fairly close remake of the great 1981 Dudley Moore movie, with pleasures of its own.... The casting of Greta Gerwig works nicely."(See all of Roger Ebert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 708 words, 04/08/11
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK "...rebuilt to suit slinky British sleaze-comedian Russell Brand, whose constant nattering rarely transcends throat-clearing improv."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 227 words, 04/06/11
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star: MODERATE(cg) "...the long-legged bad boy of British comedy shows a facility for physical stuff and has a way with a quick quip. It just doesn't happen as often as we'd like."(See all of Linda Barnard's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 699 words, 04/08/11
David Hiltbrand, Philadelphia Inquirer: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "The quips fly fast and fetchingly through the first part of this frothy comedy.... The last part slogs under an unfortunate burden of sentiment and sincerity."(See all of David Hiltbrand's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 336 words, 04/08/11
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: WEAK(cg) "...despite a lot of funny lines and a committed performance by the big screen's newest professional drunk, Russell Brand.... Director Jason Winer's movie is just off."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 692 words, 04/08/11
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star-Tribune: POOR(cg) "If you must see 'Arthur,' choose a theater that serves alcohol. You'll be needing it.... this fiasco is best viewed through beer goggles."(See all of Colin Covert's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 565 words, 04/08/11
Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "Brand ultimately can't make a watered-down 'Arthur' as sweetly charming as the original, but he certainly makes it better than it would have been otherwise."(See all of Bill Goodykoontz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 494 words, 04/08/11
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe: MODERATE(cg) "...thin... But it has a few things going for it. Russell Brand makes his best case for himself as a suitable alternative to the dude-ification of American comedy."(See all of Wesley Morris's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 932 words, 04/08/11
Stephen Whitty, New Jersey Star-Ledger: MODERATE(cg) "...somewhat -- distasteful.... It's a sardonic screenplay filled with juvenile characters, and the whole thing doesn't mesh."(See all of Stephen Whitty's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 500 words, 04/08/11
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: MODERATE(cg) "...the set pieces are too big, and the movie becomes too labored. It forces Arthur to remain static as a character for too long a period..."(See all of Mick LaSalle's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 692 words, 04/08/11
Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times: MODERATE(cg) "...pretty faithful to the original, which is to say that there's not much there other than a wispy and frequently drunken fairy tale."(See all of Moira Macdonald's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 421 words, 04/08/11
Mike Russell, Portland Oregonian: MODERATE(cg) "The actors are good enough to wring occasional laughs out of remarkably slight material... But they're fighting a tired story..."(See all of Mike Russell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 259 words, 04/08/11
Karina Longworth, Village Voice/LA Weekly: WEAK "...rebuilt to suit slinky British sleaze-comedian Russell Brand, whose constant nattering rarely transcends throat-clearing improv."(See all of Karina Longworth's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 227 words, 04/06/11
Keith Phipps, AV Club: MODERATE(cg) "...has a few nice moments... but they're overwhelmed by Brand's braying and Garner's embarrassing turn as a high-class shrew.... unforgivably bland."(See all of Keith Phipps's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 394 words, 04/07/11
Stephanie Zacharek, Movieline: WEAK(cg) "Before we even have any sense of what Arthur's deal is, he's off on a jumbled car chase. Because, you know, why not reboot Arthur with a car chase?"(See all of Stephanie Zacharek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 1,304 words, 04/07/11
Jesse Cataldo, Slant: MODERATE(cg) "...takes on the nearly impossible task of redefining an iconic role with a limited actor who many find to border on unbearable... not nearly as bad as it might be..."(See all of Jesse Cataldo's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 725 words, 04/07/11
Edward Adams, Atlanta Creative Loafing: POOR(cg) "If you're a Russell Brand fan, you'll enjoy this vehicle full of his signature eerie rants and buffoonery. Otherwise, expect a quaint but creepy romantic comedy."(See all of Edward Adams's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 581 words, 04/07/11
MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher: POOR(cg) "Whatever charms Dudley Moore's 'Arthur' may or may not have had 30 years ago are entirely absent in this pointless -- and frequently downright distasteful -- remake..."(See all of MaryAnn Johanson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 317 words, 04/22/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: WEAK "...made according to a lazy and cynical commercial blueprint.... the story lurches through contrived, seminaughty comic set pieces toward a sentimental ending."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 861 words, 04/08/11
Dana Stevens, Slate: WEAK "The problem goes deeper than the casting or performances... the jokes could be funnier and the execution crisper, but at heart a 2011 'Arthur' just doesn't make sense."(See all of Dana Stevens's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 724 words, 04/07/11
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon: FAIR "...misfires on multiple levels... if you're stuck in the house on a rainy day with a large group that extends from tweens to grandparents, you could definitely do worse."(See all of Andrew O'Hehir's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 827 words, 04/07/11
MOVIE INDUSTRY (6 Reviews)
Justin Chang, Daily Variety: FAIR "...every beat here is clearly intended to update or embellish an equivalent aspect of the 1981 pic, which would have been fine if the adjustments felt less cautious and more genuinely amusing."(See all of Justin Chang's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 981 words, 04/04/11
Kirk Honeycutt, Hollywood Reporter: WEAK "The spontaneity and gentle whimsy is missing.... Peter Baynham's script prods along without memorable lines or scenes even when it imitates 'Old Arthur' as closely as it can."(See all of Kirk Honeycutt's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 978 words, 04/05/11
Emanuel Levy, Cinema 24/7: FAIR(cg) "Russell Brand has nowhere near the charm of the original's Dudley Moore.... His entire performance, even the way he moves, is overly mannered..."(See all of Emanuel Levy's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 981 words, 04/05/11
A.O. Scott, New York Times: WEAK "...made according to a lazy and cynical commercial blueprint.... the story lurches through contrived, seminaughty comic set pieces toward a sentimental ending."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 861 words, 04/08/11
19.3 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Arthur (2011)'s reviews are separated by an average 19.3 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Arthur (2011) (46 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Arthur (2011)'s reviews cover 73.2% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 27,130 words involume (average is 20,172 words). Length:The film's reviews average 590 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Arthur (2011) Coverage, Volume & Length (46 Reviews, reviews below)
Reviews Broke 15.4 Hours After Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Arthur (2011)'s reviews on average broke 15.4 hours after opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Arthur (2011)'s opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
Arthur (2011) (46 reviews, click on bars for reviews)
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