Annie

Writer/Director Will Gluck’s Annie is a delightful reimagining of Thomas Meehan’s stage play with Composer Greg Kursin’s equally delightful adaption of the original music and lyrics of Charles Strouse and Martin Charnin.

Quvenzhané Wallis is a spirited and charming Annie, Jamie Foxx is fun as the nouveau Daddy Warbucks character and Rose Byrne is perfectly sweet as his assistant.  

The only casting mistake in the otherwise fine cast is Cameron Diaz as Miss Hannigan, the foster mother of Annie and her friends.  What I’ve always applauded Ms. Diaz for is her willingness to look disheveled or less than pretty, if that is what her role demanded.  But, here, she is just ghastly, not only in looks, but moreso in her performance.  How Director Gluck allowed this is a mystery.

Still, there is so much to like about this film, especially for families with young children, that I give Annie a 4 out of 5.