'Annie': Is the movie a worthy remake?
The new version stars 'Beasts of the Southern Wild' actress Quvenzhan茅 Wallis as the title character along with actors Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, and Rose Byrne.
'Annie' stars Quvenzhan茅 Wallis (r.) and Jamie Foxx (l.).
Barry Wetcher/Columbia Pictures 鈥� Sony/AP
It鈥檚 always difficult remaking a story already familiar to audiences, and 鈥淎nnie,鈥� a new adaptation of the story told in the 1982 film, has been earning mixed reviews for its new take on the story of the plucky orphan who wins over a wealthy man.
The original version of 鈥淎nnie鈥� told the story of the title character (Aileen Quinn), who lives in an orphanage run by Miss Hannigan (Carol Burnett) during the Great Depression and dreams of being reunited with her real parents. She is chosen to be a guest at the home of rich businessman Oliver Warbucks (Albert Finney) and slowly wins him over, though Miss Hannigan is determined to use Annie鈥檚 connection with him to her advantage.
The new take on the story is set in the present day and stars 鈥淏easts of the Southern Wild鈥� actress Quvenzhan茅 Wallis as Annie, who lives with Miss Hannigan (Cameron Diaz) 鈥� in this version, her foster mother. Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) is running for mayor and is told to bring her to stay with him so as to impress voters.
Monitor film critic Peter Rainer gave the movie a C- overall but praised Wallis鈥檚 performance.
鈥淪he鈥檚 radiantly charming,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淛amie Foxx, in the Daddy Warbucks role, has a touching rapport with her. Otherwise the movie is indifferently directed and, for better or worse, numbers like 鈥楾omorrow鈥� don鈥檛 exactly bring down the house. Considering this musical has its roots in Depression-era American, Gluck鈥檚 contemporary take on the material is eerily lacking in observations about the rich/poor divide in this country.鈥� He wrote of the new music in the film, 鈥渘one [are] memorable.鈥�
Other movie reviews are also mixed. Inkoo Kang of wrote that 鈥渘o amount of self-referential jokes can make up for a lack of heart and spirit, and thankfully, 鈥淎nnie鈥� lacks neither.鈥� However, Kang also found that 鈥渉ints of darkness 鈥� clumsy stabs at realism, really 鈥� dampen the musical鈥檚 inborn cheeriness without lending it gravitas鈥� and wrote that 鈥渢he film is far more interested in what [Will鈥檚] money can buy鈥� Wallis is only passable as an actor and singer here鈥� Byrne is ever winsome鈥� [however], Foxx is the one we can鈥檛 stop watching.鈥�
Meanwhile, Ronnie Scheib of called 鈥淎nnie鈥� 鈥渙verblown yet undernourished鈥� more of a facelift than an update.鈥�
鈥淲allis conveys the energy and perkiness of her character convincingly and charmingly, but lacks even a hint of the desperation,鈥� Scheib wrote. 鈥淚ndeed, the entire film lacks any sense of poverty beyond the simple absence of luxury鈥� The acting in general tends toward the one-note and over-the-top. Foxx, the film鈥檚 only performer with extensive singing experience onscreen, wisely opts for understatement鈥� 鈥業t鈥檚 the Hard-Knock Life鈥� is winningly executed.鈥�
And David Rooney of the called the film a 鈥渕isconceived contemporary update鈥� directed with a stunning lack of musicality [and a] witless screenplay.鈥�
鈥淭he overwhelming impression鈥� is that the creative team doesn鈥檛 actually like the material much,鈥� Rooney wrote. 鈥淓very ounce of charm has been pulverized out of the musical in a strained effort to drag it into the social-media age... Here, [Wallis is] reduced to one-note,聽processed pluckiness... Putting aside the grating performances, the clumsy direction, the visual ugliness and the haphazard development of story, character and relationships, the movie is hobbled by its intrinsic unsuitability for contemporary retelling... 鈥婳f the cast, Foxx escapes most unscathed.鈥�