If youre expecting songs you know and love from the 1977 feel-good Broadway musical, or its companion film, then you will be sadly disappointed. The Martin Charnin & Charles Strouse songs that did survive remain tuneful and catchy. They stand in dark contrast to the new songs - mostly written by Gluck, and a handful of other new writers - which are uniformly forgettable, packed with lyrics that don't scan or rhyme properly. In one instance they are somehow able to rhyme "fingertips" with "wish list." With Jay-Z serving as one of the film's producers - whose career, of course, took off in the late '90s with his Annie-sampled hit, Hard Knock Life - one would expect that perhaps the updated music would have a catchy hip-hop vibe. However, what we get is incredibly lame and timid melodies that wouldn't keep a 6-year-old entertained. While Gluck has proven himself to be a nimble director of straight comedies, his first foray into musicals has been an unquestionable disaster. If youve seen the new Annie remake then please share your own thoughts of the film in the comment section below.
Jesse Gumbarge is editor and chief blogger at JarvisCity.com - He loves old-school horror films and starting pointless debates. You can reach out at: JesseGumbarge@JarvisCity.com