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Critics Consensus: John Huston proves an odd choice to direct, miring Annie in a sluggish, stagebound mess of an adaptation, but the kids are cute and the songs are memorable.
Critic Consensus: John Huston proves an odd choice to direct, miring Annie in a sluggish, stagebound mess of an adaptation, but the kids are cute and the songs are memorable.
All Critics (25) | Top Critics (6) | Fresh (13) | Rotten (12) | DVD (3)
What makes "Annie" so winning is that, while it could have easily been just another cutesy-poo Hollywood musical, it happens to be as gritty, genial and boisterous as little Annie herself.
The movie offers an insulting 'let them eat cake' gesture toward the 1982 audience, but the pacing is so ragged and the characters so lifeless that few will be able to stay awake long enough to feel offended.
Many people said John Huston was an odd choice to direct Annie and he proves them right.
The songs never take off into anything very much, the whole atmosphere (apart from the climax) is distinctly stagebound, and Huston merely reveals why he had never before in his long career been hired to make a musical.
It's like some kind of dumb toy that doesn't do anything or go anywhere, but it is fun to watch as it spins mindlessly around and around.
They don't build movies like this anymore.
John Huston is the wrong director, lacking appreciation for the musical genre
Tale of cute orphan is great for the whole family.
This charming musical based on the comic strip character Little Orphan Annie features many memorable songs and pleasant dance numbers.
Serviceable version of the Broadway show. Burnett shines as Miss Hannigan.
Huston's biggest misfire; ponderous and sluggish.
[O]verly long, uninspired, and frequently awful...
Delightful, family-friendly film with fun songs and story. Sure, the characters are all caricatures and the film lacks direction and substance, but that's part of the charm. A nice bit of nostalgia made even sweeter by the 2014 re-make disaster.
Super Reviewer
"Annie" is the epitome of a family film in every way. From it's very catchy musical numbers to it's strong heart shown by it's talented cast, this film will make your heart sing even if you are in a bad mood. This film has some obvious faults, as it does not need to be two hours long and some plot devices seem to be thrown in to push the story along, but all-in-all, I had a blast watching it. For the type of film that it is, it's dialogue and lyrics are all well-written and it is very well-produced. "Annie" is the type of kid that you wish you could have been friends with growing up, due to her sheer likability. "Annie" is one of the most enjoyable musicals I have seen. For anyone ho has not seen it, it definitely earns a recommendation from me.
A childhood favourite and a classic!
This is my favourite version of Annie, it has an excellent cast and many catchy songs. The only thing I don't like is how long it is, but it's still worth seeing anyway. I reallly like this movie.
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