Arthur Newman

"Arthur Newman" has two promising threads - how a man can disappear and take on a new identity, and how quirky can the behaviour of a borderline crazy young woman be? In the course of the film the first, potentially interesting theme is derailed by the second. In his flight from his boring and disappointing old life, the hero takes up with the stray girl who involves him with assorted wacky escapades. Unfortunately as none of the latter is particularly interesting, the film ends with nothing of substance except sentimentality. It's awfully slow, and moments of interest are too few. Regrettably Colin Firth is all too good at depicting boring average men, which stands in the way of audience engagement. Emily Blunt doesn't invoke too much sympathy either, as it's hard to see any attractive qualities in her character beyond looks. So the film, as indeed the story in it, seems much ado about nothing. It's same-y and featureless, like the successive motel rooms they inhabit. Somehow it needs a wit and charisma transplant, but maybe I just feel that because I dislike sentimentality!

This film tells the story of a failed professional golfer, who abandons his life and family to assume an alternate identity in order to start a new life.

The premise of the story could have been very interesting, as the title character faces a midlife crisis. It is a situation that quite a few people can identify with, and hence it could have been an engaging story. However, things go wrong because the film takes a ridiculous turn. A kleptomaniac drug addict comes a long and they have sex in other people's houses. Just what is the point of the story? It is not even entertaining or engaging. The only thing that impressed me was Emily Blunt's ability to mimic various accents. Other than that, "Arthur Newman" is quite a disappointing film.

Arthur Newman (Colin Firth) is trying to live a new life. He was formerly a struggling golf pro and shipping manager with a nice-looking girlfriend (Anne Heche). But, things were not going well. He was also estranged from his almost-a-teen son. So, since he lives near Jacksonville Florida, he fakes his own death by drowning and takes off. Newman, a fake name for his newly acquired life, is on his way to Terre Haute Indiana to become a posh country club golf pro, with made-up credentials, for the most part. But, on the long journey, he stumbles upon a lady, Mike, er, Michaela, (Emily Blunt) who may be suffering more than he is. She is drunk and Arthur views her being taken to jail by the police. Giving a made up story, Arthur springs her from jail and stays with her until she is sober again. Tentatively, they strike up a friendship, as Mr. Newman learns that Mike may not be her REAL name, either. In any case, Mike agrees to go to Indiana with this handsome man. Along the way, they strangely break into houses that are temporarily empty, try on clothes, take pictures and pretend even more. But, as Arthur soon learns, Mike does have some truly intense baggage in her past. Will they succeed in forging new lives without consequences? This somber, touching film is dead serious most of the time. Oh, the scenes from the dress-up days have humor and there are occasionally funny lines. But, mostly, this movie deals with very complex issues and is not really a light-hearted flick. Naturally, Firth and Blunt, excellent thespians both, do fine work and look great together. Also wonderful is the changing scenery, the supporting cast, and the courage to tackle the anything-but-fairy-tale life of its two main characters. No, its not a movie to watch when you, the viewer, have some sobering problems in your own life. But, fans of these two British thespians will want to try this one, too.

I can see why Colin Firth would be attracted to the role of a depressed American, but really, the script wasn't up to his level.

Firth and Emily Blunt star in "Arthur Newman," a 2012 film directed by Dante Ariola. Wallace Avery (Firth) is unhappy at his job as a floor manager. He's divorced, has a girlfriend (Anne Heche), and a young son who hates him. An excellent golfer, he didn't make it as a pro because of nerves. However, he helped a man with his slice, and as a result, has been offered the job of golf pro at a club in Terre Haute, Indiana. He fakes his death and takes off.

Along the way, he helps a young woman (Blunt) by taking her to the hospital. When she's better, she goes with him. Eventually, they become lovers. He finds out she's using a fake identity as well, running from a twin sister who is schizophrenic and may need her.

The two of them start to break into people's houses and take on their identities and make love in their beds.

This is a pretty boring, slow movie enlivened by the performances of the two leads. Along the way we learn something about the characters, but not enough to become truly invested in them. We just know they're miserable. We know Wallace's son hates him because he wasn't there for him, but we don't know why or what went on between them, or what happened with his ex-wife, and why his girlfriend is discontented.

It's sad because this could have been an amazing movie. It's about two people that learn what they love about each other and their value to those left behind. But it doesn't go into these facets deeply enough.

Both Firth and Blunt are excellent, trying to flesh out what's there. In the end, I was sympathetic to the characters but not really involved with them. It was sort of like giving street directions to two strangers and then wishing them luck.

Arthur Newman (2012)

Though the whole enterprise is built on a huge and somewhat false contrivance (a man taking on a new identity and picking up a troubled woman along the way who also is playing games with her identity), it all works better than you might think. And it's largely because of Colin Firth and Emily Blunt, both strong and understated leads. Blunt in particular has qualities that are interesting without merely being "star" material. Firth, of course, is a mega-star and he's playing his quiet man with familiarity here.

The director Dante Ariola is only on his second film and the writer is on his first (after a few screenplays based on other people's stories). And I guess it shows in many little ways, including a script that doesn't seem believable at times. Then at other times it's believable but not that interesting. What keeps it floating through these waves is a sense of pace and ease with the two actors, who of course are seasoned and respected stars.

This is both a downer movie with two unhappy leads trying to survive their lives and a feel-good movie about people who find something in each other to survive. It's not quite a romance that develops (it's not "Leaving Las Vegas"), but there is a kind of loving co-dependence. It's meant to be deeper and more moving than it is— mostly a issue of the writing again—but you get the drift and it works overall.

In the end, at the end, you wish so much it had been more than it was. It has so many interesting qualities that don't get pulled out—the surprising convergence in the plot, the game of taking on identities, the psychological depth of being who you are and accepting that—I felt let down by what did happen. The solutions are a bit obvious and almost cheap, depending on formulas seen before. Which is too bad because the set-up and the actors are worth more than that.