MOVIE REVIEW - Arthur Newman

Here comes a small, Indy pic in extremely limited release, with Oscar winner Colin Firth and Emily Blunt, Arthur Newman.

First off, I like Firth as an actor, but I love Blunt as an actress.   And they both give really good performances in this movie that has all of the makings of being a good movie, but isn't.   The trouble with this movie is there just isn't enough memorable story here.

This is the story of Wallace (Firth).   He is a middle aged washed up golf pro who is sick of his life so he decides to drop out of it.  He is also divorced with a 13-year old son.  He now has a new girlfriend, Mina (Ann Heche) but he's bored with her too.  His son hates him, so does his ex-wife, and Mina loves him, but thinks he's boring too. So Wallace fakes his own death and assumes the identity of someone named Arthur Newman.

As he leaves Florida he meets a young junkie woman named Mike (Blunt).   She has her own demons too and somehow these two are seemingly  made for each other as they each are running away from something in the past.   They set out on this road trip that includes sneaking into other peoples houses and having sex in their beds and temporarily living their lives.  Sound weird?  It is.  Sadly, it's just not very compelling.   Will they somehow find peace or, will they end up together?  Who knows, and again sadly, who cares?

Many Indy flicks can be so very good, and there are elements of this that are.  But what I think really hurts this movie is the fact that there is no sense of harsh reality.   It attempts it but fails.  It goes out of its way to be topical, but maybe that's the problem.   Great Indy movies just kind of happen, and thrust you into their lives and you can relate somehow.  And generally, they say something, usually poignant.  But not here. Quirky and fun at times yes.  But you need more. When you are in an era of huge movies and you choose to be small like this, you have to have an above the line story.  That is the epic fail of this movie.

Firth is fine here, and Blunt I think is at some point will win an Oscar up the road for some role.  She is great here, as the enigmatic Mike.  Blunt is easy to watch and she is easy to take in.  She's a natural, and there hopefully are great things ahead for here.  She is great here, and has been great in the past.  I already look forward to her next movie.

Arthur Newman. You need more that just an Indy formula, you need a big story in a small movie.