Arthur (2011)

Michelle and I wanted to see a comedy, and since Michelle likes the 1980s original, we decided to watch Arthur. Truth be told, I had extremely low expectations. I expected to get two hours of Billy-Madison-style manchild mixed with a poorly told love story. Instead, we witness great character growth with well-done, albeit a bit over-the-top, humour, even a few one-liners that bore timing and delivery remarkably similar to High Grant.

I haven't seen Brand in other films, and my impression was that he'd be more like say Bruno, but instead he's witty and endearing. The movie hints at further depth to this 'no work, all play' boy-in-a-man's body, and we see Brand sparkle with this at moments, and all out shine with it by the end. Mirren and Garner provide antidote to Brand's constant humour, while tertiary characters provide Brand with fuel.

Gerwig was amazing as the down-to-earth love interest, and really struck me as the long lost child of Elizabeth Shue--I've now spent an hour or so with Google trying to determine some familial relationship, to no avail. Resemblances aside, she really captures the audience with stability in her performance, you just can't wait to segway into the next scene with her.

As an aside, this sort of comedy is something that I've always hated about the genre: the inevitable climax. I like the character growth films develop from this peak, but have always hated the emotional valley we have to go through before being lifted back up and watching the credits role. Maybe I've always misinterpreted what a 'comedy' should be.