Sometimes hitting the multiplex just isn’t in the cards. That’s when cable, the web and streaming step in to provide an instant movie fix. But how to separate the wheat from the chaff? I’m happy to help; every week I’ll pick a flick and see if it’s worth your time. This week it’s the 2011 remake of “Arthur”.

The Story: Okay, so there’s this crazy-rich wealthy dude who hasn’t grown up even though he’s in his 30’s. He’s got a hella drinking problem that causes his family no end of concern. Solution? Marry the guy off to a straightlaced gal, and tell him if he doesn’t go for it he’s cut off. But then he meets the fantastic girl…and it sure ain’t the one mummy picked.  Sound familiar? Of course it is; this is the remake of the super-popular 1981 romantic comedy/drunk-dudes-are-loveable film of the same name. Swap English dude Dudley Moore with English dude Russell Brand…and you have a surprisingly well-done movie that keeps the drunken lout just as loveable as when we first met him all those years ago, but moves him into the 21st Century.

The Good: This isn’t the role Russell Brand was meant to play — that’d be Aldous Snow from Get Him to the Greek and Forgetting Sarah Marshall — but damn if he doesn’t make a fine drunken rich bum. He’s got the childlike quality of Moore’s drunken rich bum, but a bit more charisma and a certain je ne sai slacker that’s perfect for today’s modern lazy-ass 30-something. Helen Mirren doesn’t slide into Sir John Gielgud’s shoes as much as she re-defines the character of Arthur’s nanny/chaperone/conscience and completely owns it. Jason Winer’s ability to take all-out-crazy scenes and make them play like just another day is obviously a skill he honed on Modern Family, and one that can’t be overemphasized. This film could have easily slipped into needless slapstick, but even at it’s craziest the situations ring true. Bonus points for the touching shout-out to Steve Gordon, the director of the original Arthur, who died of a heart attack at age 44. This Arthur’s father shares a similar fate.

The Bad: As much as I wanted to love Jennifer Gardner’s whackjob golddigger Susan, it just doesn’t play true. But Gardner gets mucho bonus points for going for it with gusto, and for so obviously enjoying herself in the role. (You haven’t lived ‘til you’ve seen her meow like a kitty.) I couldn’t help but agree with Susan on one topic; how in the world could a man that is poised to take the reins of a multi-national business not have even the slightest idea of how to handle himself in the business world? It plays for laughs, sure, but when Arthur tries to work and fails ever so miserably, it’s pushed a little too far. Speaking of miserable, the remake of “Arthur’s Theme (Best That You Can Do)” feels insipid and dull now. It just doesn’t fit the goofy, manic pace of this film. Luckily it only plays at the end credits.

The Everything Else: This go-round tones down the drinking a bit; instead of Arthur staggering around and passing out in churches, we have him throwing rowdy parties where he picks up all sorts of women (and according to Hobson, all sorts of diseases if he doesn’t hurry up and wash his winky). To keep things a bit more realistic, our modern-day Arthur does dabble with recreational drugs, but not onscreen. But all the scenes of his opulent wealth, and the ways in which he uses it, have a lovely, childlike grandeur about them, and that keeps our new Arthur and his lady love fresh, fun and fabulous in this new century.

Here’s the breakdown:
Would I watch it again?: Why not? It’s cute, it’s funny and it could turn into a drink-along-with-Arthur game with a handful of friends.
Should you see it?: If you think remaking the original is outright blasphemy, probably not. But if you’re open to a new drunk in town, this film is a good time even if you don’t have a magnetized bed.
Netflix average rating: 3 ½ Stars
My rating: 4 Stars

Atomic Popcorn would like to extend the opportunity to see GET HIM TO THE GREEK, starring Jonah Hill (Superbad), Russell Brand (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and P Diddy. Universal’s hilarious new comedy is the latest film from producer Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Funny People).

The promotional screening will be held on June 3^rd at 7:30 PM at a local Baltimore theater.

In case you haven’t see the trailers or TV spots, you can get the gist from the synopsis below:

GET HIM TO THE GREEK reunites Jonah Hill and Russell Brand with Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nicholas Stoller in the story of a record company intern with two days to drag an uncooperative rock legend to Hollywood for a comeback concert. Aaron Green (Hill) gets things done. The ambitious 23-year-old has exaggerated his way into a dream job just in time for a career-making assignment. His mission: Fly to London and escort a rock god to L.A.’s Greek Theatre for the first-stop on a $100-million tour. His warning: Turn your back on him at your own peril. British rocker Aldous Snow (Brand) is both a brilliant musician and walking sex. Weary of yes men and piles of money, the former front man is searching for the meaning of life. But that doesn’t mean he can’t have a few orgies while he finds it. When he learns his true love is in California, Aldous makes it his quest to win her back….right before kick-starting his world domination. As the countdown to the concert begins, one intern must navigate a minefield of London drug smuggles, New York City brawls and Vegas lap dances to deliver his charge safe and, sort of, sound. He may have to coax, lie to, enable and party with Aldous, but Aaron will get him to the Greek.

And of coarse it’s always better to see it than read it:

How to Enter:

1. Join our mailing list here. You must verify your subscription!
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The only rule is that we will not be allowing multiple signups from the same family to sign up for our screenings any longer. You have 1 admit-two pass per family.

THIS SCREENING IS NOW FULL – STAY TUNED FOR MORE SCREENINGS!

Make sure you check out our other free screenings in the Baltimore Area.

I had every intention of recapping Thursday night’s episode of NBC’s Parks and Recreation; alas, “94 Meetings” wasn’t much fun for me and so I didn’t care to write a column about how the rest of this season has been awesome. I would attribute most of Parks and Recreation’s awesome to two men, Nick Offerman and Aziz Ansari. While I’m still trying to get Mr. Offerman a woodworking program on PBS, Aziz Ansari can be seen Sunday June 6th hosting the nineteenth annual MTV MOVIE AWARDS. Indeed Aziz can be seen anywhere these days, from Human Giant to Funny People (Adam Sandler), Observe and Report (Seth Rogen), I Love You, Man (Jason Segal) and the soon-to-be-released Get Him to the Greek (Russell Brand). Can’t wait until June for some MTV and Aziz comedy? Enjoy.

This Saturday, April 17th, GET HIM TO THE GREEK will be participating in Record Store Day by releasing the first in a very limited series of INFANT SORROW tour shirts. One of the most influential rock bands of the decade, Infant Sorrow churned out a steady string of hit albums that not only reinvigorated the stagnant rock scene of the late 90s but went on to define a generation.  Led by notorious front man Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), whose scandalous exploits are well documented on both sides of the Atlantic, Infant Sorrow is widely considered the last truly great rock and roll band. “The Beast Without” shirt will only be available at participating Record Store Day locations while supplies last!

Check out www.recordstoreday.com to find a store near you!

Synopsis:

Get Him to the Greek reunites Jonah Hill and Russell Brand with Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nicholas Stoller in the story of a record company executive with three days to drag an uncooperative rock legend to Hollywood for a comeback concert.  The comedy is the latest film from producer Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Funny People).

Aaron Green (Hill) gets things done.  The ambitious 24-year-old has been given a career-making assignment.  His mission: Fly to London and escort a rock god to L.A.’s world famous Greek Theatre for the first-stop on a huge comeback tour.  His record mogul boss, Sergio Roma (Sean Combs), gives him one warning: “The artist is the worst person on Earth.  Turn your back on him at your own peril.”

British rocker Aldous Snow (Brand) is a brilliant musician, but due to a bad break up and nose-diving career, has fallen off the wagon and is now a drunken   disaster.  Weary of “yes men” and scared he’s entered the “greatest hits” moment in his career, Snow’s in the midst of a nihilistic downward spiral.  When he learns his true love, model/pop star Jackie Q (Rose Byrne), is in Los Angeles, Aldous makes it his quest to win her back…right before kick-starting his world domination.

As the countdown to the concert begins, one innocent young man must navigate a minefield of London drug smuggles, New York City brawls and Vegas lap dances to deliver his charge safe and, sort of, sound… all while trying to remain faithful to his med student girlfriend (Elisabeth Moss).  He may have to coax, lie to, enable and party with Aldous, but Aaron will get him to the Greek.

Get Him to the Greek, in theaters June 4, reunites Jonah Hill and Russell Brand with Forgetting Sarah Marshall director Nicholas Stoller in the story of a record company executive with three days to drag an uncooperative rock legend to Hollywood for a comeback concert. The comedy is the latest film from producer Judd Apatow. Also starring Sean Combs, Elisabeth Moss, Rose Byrne and Colm Meaney.

This quirky, romantic, comedy is from the minds that brought you 40-year-old Virgin, Knocked-up, and Super Bad.

Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) is a struggling musician who makes the between scenes music (think Law and Order’s dun dun) for the hit crime show Crime Scene. His five-year relationship to Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), the star of Crime Scene, has just ended with the ever-so-devastating “I love you but I’m not in love with you” speech.

Thrown into misery and consoled by his step-brother Brian Bretter (Bill Hader), Peter starts visiting clubs and bars in hopes of finding his next true love. After three weeks of finding horrible one-night stands, Peter decides to hop a flight from Los Angeles to Hawaii and get away for a brief trip to clear his head.

Peter inadvertently checks into the same hotel that Sarah and her new boyfriend Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), the hot lead singer of a pop group, happen to be staying at. Not the start to a restful getaway that Peter expected and now feeling low and embarrassed is ready to leave Hawaii. As luck would have it he is saved by perky hotel clerk Rachel Jansen (Mila Kunis) as she helps by giving him a complementary room.

As with all romantic comedies, the standard formula (Boy loves Girl, boy loses girl, boy finds new girl) is there. And this does result in lots of good one-liners and funny situations as they are layered throughout the movie.

As with any Judd Apatow movie, the minor-characters that make up the real world have scenes that enhance the comedy. There is a minor sub-plot between a recently married couple staying at the hotel having some honeymoon sexual issues. The husband is a bit shy in the sack and seeks Aldous’ advice on how to keep the new wife happy. I won’t give away the outcome but I will say that the accompanying training montage will result in tears rolling from your eyes due to laughter.
This is a fun movie that you and your significant other will enjoy seeing together as it has the best for both worlds. Forgetting Sarah Marshall is rated “R”, has a runtime of 2-hour, and is distributed by Universal Pictures.

Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆