Arthur Blu-ray review

            The remake of Arthur seemed somewhat unnecessary, but if they had to do it, there really could have been no better casting than the three leading actors chosen. Russell Brand was a surprise star in Hollywood after his small scene-stealing role in the Judd Apatow produced Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but he has not since been able to find the right role outside this franchise. After the spin-off feature film about his character, the most appropriate role seemed to be Arthur.

            Previously played by Dudley Moore, Brand stars as Arthur, a wealthy Manhattan playboy who spends his family fortune frivolously while drinking in extreme excess. Brand has a childlike way about him, which makes the appearance of constant intoxication more than a little believable. When his mother insists that Arthur marry the ambitious daughter (Jennifer Garner) of a wealthy contractor (Nick Nolte), Arthur finds himself longing for a relationship with a struggling children’s book author (Greta Gerwig) instead.

            The Academy Award winning role of Hobson, previously played magnificently by Jon Gielgud, is this time played by Helen Mirren. The same dry humor remains, although there have been a few changes to the role, accommodating the change in sex. There are a few magnificent sequences which seem to have been lifted from the original, and this is probably due to the fact that Hobson and Arthur’s relationship is at the center of the film.

            The Blu-ray combo pack includes a DVD and a digital copy, on top of the high definition Blu-ray. The special features include unrated adlibs and extra footage from the film, presented by Brand and director Jason Winer. This feature also exposes how much ad-libbing there was on set. There is also a gag reel and ten minutes of deleted scenes.