It's safe to say that the story of perpetually up-beat orphan Annie is one that has been part of everyone's childhood, most likely in the form of John Huston's beloved 1982 adaption of the stage show, whose lasting impact has cemented ditties such as Tomorrow and It's a Hard Knock Life's place in popular culture. This version, from director Will Gluck (Easy A, Friends with Benefits), isn't the first movie to re-adapt the musical (Disney gave us a made-for-tv movie in 1999), but it's the first to do away with the Great Depression era setting, bringing Annie and her supporting players into the modern day. So, how does this update suit the classic story?
For 2014, Little Orphan Annie is now little foster kid Annie (Quvenzhané Wallis), who holds on tightly to the belief that her parents will return some day. Colleen Hannigan (Cameron Diaz) is still her bitter and alcoholic guardian who, in a nice twist, only puts up fosters kids in her New York apartment to receive money from the state. Daddy Warbucks is now Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) a mobile phone magnate whose failing mayoral campaign, thanks to his general dislike for everybody, receives a shot in the arm when a chance encounter with Annie shows the softer side of the millionaire. Everything else marches forward like we know, with slight changes being built around the movies modern day setting, usually involving social media. The classic songs also get an update, but even with copious amount of auto-tune, and some slightly off arrangements, most of them still retain enough of what made them classics in the first place, and keep the movie ticking along. Though, Diaz's reworking of Little Girls is a travesty. It's the new songs (with the treacly Opportunity taking Tomorrow's place as the big set piece number) that stick out like a sore thumb, feeling totally modern next to the original songs that are clearly a product of the era they were written in, and they add absolutely nothing to the proceedings.
There is a great amount of heart here, mostly due to Wallis' incredibly endearing performance, but it often gets lost in cliche, shoehorned in pop culture references, and some uneasy attempts at humour (including a Hurricane Sandy 'joke' that left a really bad taste in my mouth). Most of the songs and are presented simply, with nothing much in the way of a big dance number. It suits this more grounded take on the material, but then Gluck will throw in a fantasy sequence like the aforementioned Little Girls or Easy Street (both involving Diaz for some reason), and you feel yourself taken out of the movie. Thankfully, the cast do a lot to make up for any shortcomings, with Wallis capturing the upbeat attitude and general likability of the character perfectly. She has a nice chemistry with all her adult co-stars, even Diaz, who has mistaken loud and annoying as a viable character trait. Foxx's Will Stacks is mainly played for laughs, but he steps up to the plate when the story takes a turn for the dramatic, and his relationship with Annie is especially heart warming. The supporting cast, including Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale, are often relegated to the sidelines, but do put in good performances when they have something to do.
It can't really hold a candle to the 1982 original, but this new take on Annie does have it's moments, mainly down to a cast that do a great deal to take your attention away from the movie's problems.
For 2014, Little Orphan Annie is now little foster kid Annie (Quvenzhané Wallis), who holds on tightly to the belief that her parents will return some day. Colleen Hannigan (Cameron Diaz) is still her bitter and alcoholic guardian who, in a nice twist, only puts up fosters kids in her New York apartment to receive money from the state. Daddy Warbucks is now Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx) a mobile phone magnate whose failing mayoral campaign, thanks to his general dislike for everybody, receives a shot in the arm when a chance encounter with Annie shows the softer side of the millionaire. Everything else marches forward like we know, with slight changes being built around the movies modern day setting, usually involving social media. The classic songs also get an update, but even with copious amount of auto-tune, and some slightly off arrangements, most of them still retain enough of what made them classics in the first place, and keep the movie ticking along. Though, Diaz's reworking of Little Girls is a travesty. It's the new songs (with the treacly Opportunity taking Tomorrow's place as the big set piece number) that stick out like a sore thumb, feeling totally modern next to the original songs that are clearly a product of the era they were written in, and they add absolutely nothing to the proceedings.
There is a great amount of heart here, mostly due to Wallis' incredibly endearing performance, but it often gets lost in cliche, shoehorned in pop culture references, and some uneasy attempts at humour (including a Hurricane Sandy 'joke' that left a really bad taste in my mouth). Most of the songs and are presented simply, with nothing much in the way of a big dance number. It suits this more grounded take on the material, but then Gluck will throw in a fantasy sequence like the aforementioned Little Girls or Easy Street (both involving Diaz for some reason), and you feel yourself taken out of the movie. Thankfully, the cast do a lot to make up for any shortcomings, with Wallis capturing the upbeat attitude and general likability of the character perfectly. She has a nice chemistry with all her adult co-stars, even Diaz, who has mistaken loud and annoying as a viable character trait. Foxx's Will Stacks is mainly played for laughs, but he steps up to the plate when the story takes a turn for the dramatic, and his relationship with Annie is especially heart warming. The supporting cast, including Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale, are often relegated to the sidelines, but do put in good performances when they have something to do.
It can't really hold a candle to the 1982 original, but this new take on Annie does have it's moments, mainly down to a cast that do a great deal to take your attention away from the movie's problems.
