Arthur Newman - B-

Rated R, 97 minutes

Well-worn "Arthur Newman" proves that fresh starts are OK

Emily Blunt and Colin Firth

Sometimes a fresh start or a new identity is good for you, a theme championed by the familiar but pleasant new dramedy "Arthur Newman," about a man who reinvents himself in hopes to discover something new. Oscar-winner Colin Firth is Wallace Avery, a divorced, depressed and lonely man unable to connect with his young son (Sterling Beaumon), friends (Anne Heche) or just about anyone. He buys a new identity, a new car and heads off to Indiana to begin a new job as a golf pro. Things change when he runs into an unstable young woman named Michaela, or Mike (Emily Blunt), with issues of her own. As romance blossoms, they must let go and accept responsibility for who they really are. Part romantic comedy and part buddy road trip movie, the likable "Arthur Newman" is a well-worn tale of love and starting over, thinly plotted and underwritten but made better by the charming pairing of Firth (in a surprisingly low-key role following his Oscar win) and the effervescent Blunt. Directed by newcomer Dante Ariola and written by Becky Johnston ("Seven Years in Tibet"), it's also a bit baffling why Wallace would need a new identity when he can start a new life without it. After a saggy mid-section and a calculated finale, "Arthur Newman" works and you believe in the characters due to the charming pairing of Blunt and Firth, and for that reason it's worth a look.

Wes's Grade: B-