Arthur Newman, much like the eponymous character who shifts identities willy-nilly, does not know what film to be. At times, I was sure that it would be some sort of devil- may-care film where the leads would spend the entire time gallivanting around assuming different identities. Instead, Arthur Newman spends its time moping around and telling us the characters are complete failures as human beings with only flashes of humanity. Firth's Arthur J. Newman is actually Wallace Avery, a floor manager of a FedEx, who decides to leave his pitiful existence by faking his disappearance, upsetting those around him who before could not stand the man. Avery is a former PGA golfer who couldn't handle the pressure and as a result has turned into a real loser of a father. While staying at a motel to start his new life as Newman, he comes across an incoherent kleptomaniac and decides to take her to a hospital. From here, the pair becomes a sort of Bonnie and Clyde duo breaking into people's houses and eating their food, wearing their clothes, and shagging on their beds (funny for a film about ostensibly Carolinians to feature two limeys as the leads).
Arthur Newman's greatest crime is wasting the talents of Firth and Blunt and making two of the most likeable British stars working in Hollywood today look like bad con artists, especially Blunt who did such a great job doing something similar in the criminally under seen film Wild Target. One should comment on the inclusion of Anne Heche, but her role and the role of Wallace Avery's son are both complete filler and distract from the story of Arthur Newman and his journey to rediscover himself. Plot holes and awful writing and directing aside, one cannot deny the absolute chemistry that oozes from the pairing of Blunt and Firth, though Blunt usually can pair great with anyone regardless of looks. Arthur Newman tries its damnedest to charm the pants off you, but it's just not all that good. In the end, I forgive Firth and Blunt because it's nice to see the two play damaged souls who, despite all faults, are still clearly meant for one another.
