Dudley Moore’s lovable lush got raves in 1981. The effervescent, irresponsible and very rich Arthur is offset by the perfectly done, Oscar-winning, one-line jabs by Sir John Gielgud who did his always-responsible butler, Hobson.

A couple of friends who’ve seen Arthur recently say it doesn’t hold up. The remake doesn’t either even after recycling some of the original’s best parts and adding a superb cast.

But remakes are always a dicey proposition.

-- Local show times, theaters, trailer.

The Arthur redo does have benefits. TV director Jason Winer and Borat and Bruno co-writer Peter Baynham rework Steve Gordon’s screenplay and reverse key parts. Instead of an aloof, unreachable father, Arthur has issues with his mom. The profound one-liners done by the butler are nicely done by a nanny.

The mirror reversal is a nice twist.

Russell Brand plays Arthur. No one else could pull this character off. The Brit has made a career doing arrogant and irresponsible. Like Moore, Brand is a likable, daffy drunk. He’s great for half a film before you grow weary of his whiny delivery and the ever-growing impossible premise.

You will, however — as audiences did in the original with Gielgud — fall in love with Helen Mirren’s Hobson. She hits all the right notes. It also sets up another intriguing mirror reversal possibility. Mirren is good enough in the flick to grab an Oscar nomination. And Hollywood and the voters of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences do love irony.

Stayed tuned for more on that toward the end of the year.

Back to the plot, Arthur’s mom is tired of his childish ways, the continual negative press from drunken parties and run-ins with the cops. She insists he marry the gold-digging Susan or lose his fortune.

Jennifer Garner is cast as Susan, and she is terrific.

Reworked and sometimes unrecognizable versions of the original’s Oscar-winning theme song The Best That You Can Do are planted here and there. The song punctuates the remake’s problems.

The best that you can do in this case really isn’t good enough.

Mr. Movie rating: 3 stars

Rated PG-13 for mature themes. It opens Friday, April 8 at the Carmike 12 and at the Fairchild Cinemas 12.

5 stars to 4 1/2 stars: Must see on the big screen
4 stars to 3 1/2 stars: Good film, see it if it's your type of movie.
3 stars to 2 1/2 stars: Wait until it comes out on video.
2 stars to 1 star: Don't bother.
0 stars: Speaks for itself.