A search for identity in two unlikely characters punctuates Arthur Newman, a quirky road film that moves obliquely in directions both predictable and unpredictable. Director Dante Ariola’s feature debut skillfully braids two veteran performers–Colin Firth and Emily Blunt—in a dramedy that’s happier than The Notebook but not as tragic as Blue Valentine.
When Firth’s Wallace Avery seeks to reinvent himself as Arthur Newman, it’s not hard to guess why: he just lost his Fed-Ex job, his ex-wife pities him, and his thirteen-year-old son despises him. After staging his own death, and securing new ID papers, he takes to the road in a new Mercedes convertible. Who is Arthur Newman? A comeback-kid golf pro on his way to Terre Haute to play with the big boys? That’s the plan.
The fly in the ointment is Charlotte Fitzgerald aka Mike (Blunt), a lost soul equally eager to shed her past by using her twin sister’s ID, Michaela. After OD’ing on cough syrup and mixing in a little grand theft auto, she latches onto Arthur like a homeless puppy. To distance herself from her life, Charlotte convinces Arthur to break into empty homes to play dress up and assume the identities of those who live there.
While Arthur finally agrees to the charade, we see in Charlotte the dire need to disconnect from who she is so afraid of becoming. The suggestion is that Arthur may be falling for Charlotte, but we know how these stories inevitably end. The hint comes when Charlotte is arrested for petty theft and absconds with Arthur’s new-identity stash of $24,000. Yet there are enough surprises to keep us engaged—including Charlotte’s sister and Arthur’s arrival at the Terre Haute Country Club.
Their relationship would go nowhere as Wallace and Charlotte, but Norman and Mike dovetail as caricatures in a “this is your fantasy sideshow.” Blunt is exceptionally skilled in this respect, for we’ve seen her turn roles inside out in everything from The Five Year Engagement to Wild Target. Firth plays the manipulated, self-doubting guy who’s lost everything, yet retains that scintilla of hope that drives the film to its conclusion.
Alex A. Kecskes is a published author of "Healer a Novel" and "The Search for Dr. Noble"—both now available on Amazon. He has written hundreds of film reviews and celebrity interviews for a wide variety of online and print outlets. He has covered red carpet premieres and Comic-Con events for major films and independent releases.
