 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Arthur
- Review Date: March 31, 2011
- PG-13
- Genre: Comedy
- 2011
Common Sense Media says
Remake of classic romcom has little punch, lots of alcohol.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that although this remake of the popular '80s comedy is occasionally funny and at times even oddly touching, it's also raunchy and not as memorable as the movie it was based on. Given that the main character, Arthur (Russell Brand), is an often-tipsy millionaire, expect plenty of scenes with him swigging from a bottle, glass, or flask. While there aren't many strongly negative consequences for his drinking, it's not portrayed in a particularly glamorous fashion, either, and he ultimately has to learn how to be comfortable with himself without the booze in order to attain his heart's desire. Expect plenty of sexual innuendo and some lingerie scenes, though no nudity. There's some swearing, too, including "s--t," "bugger," and "bloody."
What's the story?
Multimillionaire Arthur Bach (Russell Brand) is drinking through his family’s money, content to fritter his days away swigging champagne and Maker’s Mark and cooking up schemes like arriving at his mother’s formal party dressed in a Batman costume. Even his companion/nanny, Hobson (Helen Mirren), is urging him to get his act together. Fed up with Arthur's antics, his icy, business-minded mother, Vivienne (Geraldine James), gives him an ultimatum: Marry Susan (Jennifer Garner), Vivienne’s ambitious right-hand woman who’s hungry for the Bach name and all of the power that comes with it, so Arthur will seem more stable to shareholders, or lose nearly a billion dollars of his inheritance. Arthur thinks the choice is easy -- go with the money -- until he meets quirky, unlicensed tour operator Naomi (Greta Gerwig), who offers nothing but a chance at love.
Is it any good?
Though no one will be talking about how this version of ARTHUR has supplanted the Dudley Moore classic, it’s not as big of a train-wreck as it could have been. For starters, it retains the original’s sweet center, albeit with a lot more schmaltz (not to mention strains of the cheesy but nostalgically appealing Christopher Cross theme song). And though Brand is no Moore, he has his own gentle-giant charm that makes his irresponsible alcoholic still somewhat appealing. What makes it work best, though, is Brand's easy chemistry with Mirren. It’s astounding how plain the stunning Mirren can become, and she steps into those practical nanny shoes nicely. She’s the mother he never quite had; he, her unruly child surrogate.
Still, this Arthur has no edge (profane innuendoes aren’t substitutes for edge). It doesn’t break any conventions; it doesn’t make you think. It is pretty funny in parts, but it's an unclever kind of funny. And what of New York, which the original did showcase? It’s not seductive here, but rather a pastiche of NYC greatest hits that renders the city soul-less, no longer caught near the moon. It’s just another romcom now.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the movie's central message. Does love trump money? Can they co-exist? Or is it impractical to think that you can live happily ever after without being able to afford "happily ever after"?
Talk to your teens about how the film portrays drinking. Does it seem fun or iffy? How does the movie imply that? What would some of the consequences for Arthur's behavior be in real life?
How might the movie be different if Arthur used drugs instead of drinking? Why is one "worse" than the other?
Ask kids what they think their lives would be like if they were raised like Arthur, in a mega-rich environment without responsibilities. What messages does this film send about immense wealth?
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- Teens & kids
AGE
Mature?
I really did enjoy this movie. I went with a few of my more mature(?) friends and it was very funny. Though I do agree this movie is 14+, there are a majority of younger viewers who are ready to laugh along with the older crowd. Overall a good movie, I plan on seeing it with another friend when it is released on DVD!
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Kid, 11 years old
April 10, 2011
AGE
???????????
I want to see this... Just worried about the innapropriate content for kids my age. I think that my mom will rent it and see if it is ok. ????
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AGE
Whether he's sleeping on a magnetic bed, putting on a gummy bear suit, getting arrested, or plainly having fun, ARTHUR is hilarious! This movie was absolutely one of the funniest movies of 2011(next to JUST GO WITH IT). I loved the touching love moments and the comedic job scenes; ARTHUR had everyone roaring with laughter! Parents: beware! This movie is absolutely for ages 12 and up. There is drinking throughout the whole movie, and there are many random sex scenes. The movie's message about marriage isn't positive, but it's all played for laughs. There are many racist jokes including Asians, peasants, little Japanese girls, and even our own president, but trust me; everyone in that theater was laughing for their own guilty pleasure. Don't worry about the drinking, the sexual innuendo, and the racist jokes! This movie is a full-on comedy, with some tense scenes(Arthur being threatened by a saw and him getting punched in the face by two women XD). So, needless to say, don't go into this movie without knowledge about it's flaws. COMMONSENSE, I absolutely disagree with you; this is a movie clearly for teens and adults, so you shouldn't rate it 2 stars just because of its adult humor. I was on the floor laughing after I saw this movie; I highly recommend that you go see it too.
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Kid, 9 years old
April 14, 2011
AGE
awsome!
i loved it! im 8 and saw it /it has some thing like sex and cuzing but its a really good movie
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AGE
The good stuff
*
Messages:
Positive messages include the idea that every hero needs help to defeat evil; that "blood status" (the magical equivalent of racial purity) isn't important; that all kinds of people -- magical and non-magical -- should be able to co-exist peacefully; and that some things, some battles are greater than one person. By defying his former masters, Dobby shows the importance of free will, loyalty, and friendship. Hermione's choice to stay with Harry even though she loves Ron is a good lesson in staying true to your word, while Ron's choice to come back is a great lesson in redemption.
*
Role models:
Harry, Hermione, Ron, and all the members of the Order of the Phoenix are positive role models -- they work together against the scariest villains and toughest of odds. Even though Voldemort's cronies have taken over the Ministry, the actions of the Order, the central trio, and Dobby are strong examples of how even the humblest creatures can do amazing things.
What to watch out for
*
Violence:
The body count in this movie is the highest of all the adaptations to date. Several characters -- mostly recurring supporting players, but also a couple of newly introduced ones -- are killed, mostly via the Killing Curse. One beloved character dies after suffering a bloody knife wound. While on the run, the central trio is each injured -- Hermione is tortured, Ron's shoulder is severely hurt, and Harry nearly drowns while being choked by a cursed locket. A character loses his ear to a Death Eater (bloody wound visible). Muggle-born characters are shown being whisked away against their will -- toruture/mistreatment is implied. The good guys face down Death Eaters, Dementors, Snatchers, and, in one gruesome scene, a man-eating snake that bursts out of a dead body. Weapons include wands and fists in most of those fights.
*
Sex:
Ginny asks Harry to zip up her dress, and then turns around and exposes a strip of bare back (all the way down to her waist) to him. They then kiss. Lots of flirting and longing looks, as well as embraces between Ron and Hermione. An evil, ghostly version of Harry and Hermione torment Ron by embracing and kissing passionately while appearing nearly nude (their torsos are visible, but it's all very blurry/misty).
…
*
Language:
Frequent use of British slang like "bloody," "bleeding," and "git," plus "d--n," "piss," "a-s," "h--l," and "oh my God" said once or twice. The insults "Mudblood" and "blood traitor" -- which are the wizarding world's equivalent of nasty racist terms -- are said several times as well.
*
Consumerism:
Not an issue.
*
Drinking, drugs, & smoking:
Champagne glasses are magically filled at a wedding reception, and people eating at a large dinner table are shown with goblets in front of them, but no one is really drinking.
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AGE
Depends on how you put it
Russel Brand was the perfect role. He played a playboy, and did a great job. It did imply at times where he made love with some girls. He drank a lot and he is drunk at the begining of the movie. I noticed also he was willing to have his mom take away his money so he could be with the other girl. So, that was a postive. :)
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Kid, 12 years old
April 6, 2011
AGE
good for 10 to 30
I Loved it!?
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AGE
good for tweens
it is a good movie no bad parts
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| Studio: | Warner Bros. |
| Director: | Jason Winer |
| Cast: | Helen Mirren, Jennifer Garner, Russell Brand |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 105 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | April 8, 2011 |
| DVD release date: | July 15, 2011 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | alcohol use throughout, sexual content, language and some drug references |
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