Arthur Newman: A Review

The first thing I thought when invited for this movie's screening: Oh my God, British actors! Imagine my disappointment when two FAMOUS British actors 'lived' ordinary American life, speaking in an interchangeable American drawl, depending on the situation.

This story features two 'Murican nobodies. First, Wallace Avery (Colin Firth), was a man who hated his job, who had an ex-wife and son who hated him, with a mid life crisis, unhappy with how his life turned out. He decided to fake his own death and reincarnate as another nobody, Arthur Newman, in order to reinvent himself as a country club golf pro. The second, Michaela 'Mike' Fitzgerald (Emily Blunt) - not her real name by the way- a hot mess, and a kleptomaniac with an addiction to cough syrup trying to run away from the guilt of not being responsible for her twin sister, who was also another hot mess (clinically schizophrenic apparently).

These two seemingly ordinary, yet messed up people became road trip buddies, travelling from down South to the Midwest in a powder blue Mercedes convertible. In between spending days at a time on the road, and nights in some shady motels, Arthur joins Mike -reluctantly at first- in one of her favourite pastimes, which was to break into people's houses, dress in their clothes and engage in role-play.

Yes, role-play in every sense of the word.

As the two became more and more acquainted with each other, Wallace's son, Kevin, paid his dad's home -and girlfriend- a visit, in order to better understand him and why he was never there for him when he needed his dad. The dad's girlfriend was a creepy character, awkward and obviously sexually attracted to Kevin... who was young enough to be her son. Gosh. Thankfully, nothing happened between them, except from the sexual tension Mina, dad's girlfriend, was trying desperately to deal with.

This was a story of a jaded man, and a guilt-ridden woman who just needed some space and time with each other to realise what they should be doing all along. Wallace/Arthur needed to stop chasing his dreams to be a pro golfer, and give all his love and attention to his only son, while Mike (or Charlotte, that's her real name) needed to get back to her twin sister to support her through her ordeals.

If you're looking for an action packed or thought provoking film, this isn't it. Colin Firth and Emily Blunt had chemistry, I give you that. But there isn't much plot to it, and I was joking with my best friend, who was my date for the night, that this (movie) mirrored my current feeling I had with my life - boring and in dire need of some magic. I've seen better Indie films with zero plot but made up for it with excellent cinematography. This film just didn't cut it.

The only saving grace would be gazing at Emily Blunt's sexiness throughout the entire movie, though. I still wished they didn't have to suppress their British accents, it'll elevate the movie to a whole new level.

Admit it, wouldn't you want to see THIS?

Arthur Newman premiers in theatres, Thursday, 11 July 2013.

Special thanks to Omy.SG and Shaw for inviting me for this exclusive screening! Love the plush seats in the preview theatre, by the way.