Let's Go Out To The Movies: 'Annie' (PG - Sony Pictures - 1 hr, 58 mins)

Alo Party Peoples.



Directed by Will Gluck
Written by Will Gluck and
Aline Brosh McKenna

Just the idea of a 21st' Century version of Annie might make some people's skin crawl, and I can see why. A combination of cynical IP mining, and taking something lots of folks have nostalgic memories of and pumping it up with unnecessary modern updates seems like just the kind of thing I would hate. However, considering what low expectations something like this would have, the new Annie is a lighthearted, perfectly fine children's movie.

Annie is a plucky foster child living under a drunk deadbeat guardian that one day literally runs into Mr. Stacks, the head of a cellphone company running a failing campaign to become mayor of New York City, and he keeps her from getting hit by a van. Positive publicity from his apparent act of altruism convinces him it would be a good idea to take her in for a while to help his chances at the polls, the two start bonding over time, most of you reading this probably know the story, it doesn't diverge from the musical very much.

The primary 21st' Century update to this story is a predominantly black cast including Jamie Foxx as Mr. Stacks, and Quvenzhane Wallis as Annie. The two have believable chemistry together, mostly on Foxx's part. As for Wallis, well, I know I shouldn't be too hard on child actors, and she isn't exactly bad, but she doesn't seem to be able to convey an emotion other than childlike wonder, which is exactly what she needs to do for most of the movie, except in the climax when Stack's assistant finds a couple people to play Annie's long lost parents, and when she discovers the rouse she fails to express any real fear. Fortunately the rest of the cast really delivers, you already know Foxx is good in it, Cameron Diaz plays Miss Hannigan as a bizarre mix of Cruella de Vil and Ke$ha, and Rose Byrne as Stack's assistant is just fine.

The point of seeing this, and probably a big incentive in making it, was getting modern updates to the songs everyone remembers from the original, and said songs are alright. They move along at a good clip, its mostly upbeat pop versions of Hard Knock Life, Tomorrow, and they mostly don't offend. Are they chessey and over the top? Of course, but it isn't like the original wasn't. They more or less work.

The new Annie is about as good as one could expect a 21st' Century Annie to be. It moves along at a good clip, it doesn't overstay its welcome, and at the very least it isn't obnoxious, and with modern children's films that almost a miracle. You probably already know if your'e going to see this, if you have kids you probably don't have much of a choice, but know that it isn't a complete waste of time.

Have a nice day.

Greg.B