Annie (2014)

Annie stars Quvenzhané Wallis as the title character of Annie.  Annie is a foster child who was abandoned by her parents as a baby and then placed in foster care.  This plot is of course based off the musical made popular in 1982 film starring Aileen Quinn.  The difference between the now beloved 1982 version of this musical and the 2014 update is that the new version has been given an R & B makeover.  Jamie Foxx plays Will Stacks who is effectively the Daddy Warbucks of the new film and he is trying to run for office.  He’s struggling because his approval ratings to run for mayor are low and he really wants to make a difference in New York where the film is set.

The main problem with this film is that it attempts to change the key element of the film that made it great, the music.  The fact that producers gave almost all of the songs an R&B makeover is disturbing.  The way they chose to evolve the songs while creative no longer aids the journey being had by Annie.  More specifically the music distracts from the story rather than helping it advance.  The most egregious change has to be how the music director chose to change the song “I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here”.  While the song is still upbeat, the whole song is essentially those six words sung by Wallis and Rose Byrne as Annie explores Stacks paradise palace.  Overall, the songs show no originality other than a drum beat added to every song.

I applaud this movie for using a racially diverse cast especially when it comes to the two main leads Quvenzhané Wallis and Jamie Foxx.  The two actors work extremely well as Foxx’s Stacks is trying to learn how to look after a young impressionable foster child.  Wallis is quick witted and has an incredibly sweet nature that comes across very well on screen.  She makes people want to believe in what young people can be capable of when they have a goal they want to achieve people.  People will be encouraged to watch Annie find the home she deserves.

The other issue with the film has nothing to do with the plot and everything to do with a single character.  The character of Hannigan played by Cameron Diaz is such a dumb alcoholic that I don’t just detest the fact that she was a former member of CC’s Dance Factory but also the fact that all she wants drunk or sober is to be famous.  This character might not only upset people but also it may be possible people could find her offensive.

One character I did find amusing that I wish had more scenes was David Zayas’s Lou.  Lou runs the local newsstand frequented by Annie and he has a major crush on Hannigan.  All of the scenes involving him interacting with the other main players is fantastic.  He brings more heart into the film while Annie works incredibly hard to find her place in the world.

Wallis is compelling but she doesn’t carry the film the way I expected.  The people around Wallis do a lot to help her understand why she matters.  The people who help the film come alive are actually the other actors who portray foster kids.  All of those children have such distinct personalities that it is possible to end up feeling more for those children than for Annie.

This film had so much going for it but its problem was that it modernized too much of what was already a very heartfelt story.  I wish the Smith’s had scaled back any changes instead of making so many.  As a result, the film tries to focus on Annie but ends up feeling cluttered when the relationship between Annie and Stacks isn’t showcased.  The film isn’t smart enough to recommend audiences try it with their kids.