Annie (2014 film)

Annie
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Will Gluck
Screenplay by	Will Gluck Aline Brosh McKenna
Produced by	Will Smith Jada Pinkett Smith Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter Caleeb Pinkett James Lassiter Lawrence "Jay" Brown Tyrone "Ty Ty" Smith
Starring	Jamie Foxx Quvenzhané Wallis Rose Byrne Bobby Cannavale Cameron Diaz
Cinematography	Michael Grady
Edited by	Tia Nolan
Music by	Greg Kurstin Songs: Charles Strouse Martin Charnin Original songs: Greg Kurstin Sia Will Gluck
Production companies	Village Roadshow Pictures Overbrook Entertainment
Distributed by	Columbia Pictures
Release date	December 19, 2014 (2014-12-19)
Running time	118 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$65 million
Box office	$30.5 million

Annie is an American musical comedy-drama film directed by Will Gluck and produced by Village Roadshow Pictures and Will Smith's Overbrook Entertainmentfor Sony Pictures' Columbia Pictures. The film is a contemporary adaptation of the 1977 Broadway musical of the same name, which was in turn based upon the 1924 comic strip Little Orphan Annie by Harold Gray. It stars Quvenzhané Wallis in the title role and Jamie Foxx in the role of Will Stacks, an update of Daddy Warbucks. The film's producers include Will Smith, his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, and Jay-Z.

The third film adaptation following Columbia's 1982 theatrical film and Disney's 1999 made-for-television film, Annie began production in August 2013 and was released on December 19, 2014.

Plot

Ten-year-old Annie Bennett is a foster child living in Harlem. She lives with the alcoholic and bitter Colleen Hannigan, who has taken in four other foster girls named Isabella, Tessie, Mia, and Pepper in order to receive money from the state. Unlike the other girls, Annie believes her parents will one day return for her and imagines what they might be like ("Maybe"). The next morning, Hannigan (annoyed by the girls' singing from the previous night) puts them to work cleaning up the apartment ahead of a visit from their social worker ("It's the Hard-Knock Life").

On the other side of the city, cell phone mogul and billionaire Will Stacks is running a disastrous campaign for mayor of New York City. His hotshot adviser Guy, his assistant Grace Farrell, and bodyguard Nash attempt to help him clean up his public image, but Stacks' general dislike for people alienates him from would-be voters.

Running home from after another failed attempt to discover her parents ("Tomorrow"), Annie is rescued by Stacks from the path of a speeding truck. A video of Stacks' heroism goes viral and his approval rating goes up. Guy suggests that Stacks invite Annie to his home for lunch as a publicity stunt to capitalize on the public interest in Annie. Annie, recognizing an opportunity, suggests that Stacks become her temporary guardian, promising him more photo opportunities. Stacks agrees, and Annie moves into his luxurious but lonely penthouse ("I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here"). Meanwhile, Hannigan is frustrated that Annie has become famous while her own life goes nowhere ("Little Girls").

Stacks arranges many public outings with Annie, always in the eye of reporters and social media, including taking her to a film premiere with her foster sisters ("You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile"). Grace and Nash are charmed by their new charge and soon grow to love her. Annie, however, grows concerned that Stacks never seems to enjoy himself and does her best to cheer him up. Stacks, in turn, begins to see that Annie's life mirrors his own disadvantaged childhood. He begins to open up to her, culminating in the two bonding over their mutual love of New York City ("The City's Yours"). However, during a public event when Stacks asks Annie to read a speech ("Opportunity"), he learns that Annie is illiterate, making him realize that he cares for Annie and makes plans to formally adopt her.

Guy, who does not see or understand the change, plans to stage a publicity stunt in which Stacks will reunite Annie with her parents. This he believes will be the final stroke to getting Stacks elected mayor, while securing for Guy a huge bonus that will allow him to retire from public relations. He offers Hannigan part of his anticipated bonus if she will help him find a set of fake parents to present to the public at the right moment ("Easy Street"), but when Hannigan bungles her end of the deal, he ditches her in favor of hiring two actors and faking a DNA test.

Annie is publicly reunited with her "parents". Stacks is miserable at the prospect of losing her, and Hannigan is disturbed to learn that Guy plans to leave Annie with these strangers until after the election, then abandon her on the streets. Hannigan, Will, and Annie reflect on their inner conflict ("Who Am I?") before Hannigan, along with the foster girls, goes to Stacks to tell him that Annie is in danger.

After an extended car/helicopter chase, the fake parents are cut off by Stacks' helicopter and the police. Annie is rescued. Due to the comments the impostors made, Annie believes that Stacks betrayed her. To prove himself, Stacks goes to the reporters on the scene and formally announces he is withdrawing from the mayoral race in order to spend more time with his new adopted daughter Annie. At Annie's urging, Stacks invites Grace to dinner and the two kiss, marking their new romantic relationship. Annie, Grace, and Stacks look forward to their future as a family ("I Don't Need Anything But You").

Some time later, Stacks is devoting his time and money by giving back to New York City starting by founding a literacy center, where, at the opening, Annie is able to read a speech. The film concludes with the whole cast singing a reprise of "Tomorrow".

Cast

• Quvenzhané Wallis as Annie Bennett, a poor orphan in a foster home who desires to search for her parents.
• Jamie Foxx as William "Will" Stacks, a wealthy politician based on Oliver Warbucks.
• Rose Byrne as Grace Farrell, Stacks' faithful personal assistant and Annie's mother figure.
• Bobby Cannavale as Guy, a "bulldog political adviser" to Stacks.
• Cameron Diaz as Miss Colleen Hannigan, the cruel control freak of the foster home where Annie resides.
• Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Nash, "the tough but lovable bodyguard and driver for Stacks and a good friend of Annie." He evokes the traits of Punjab and The Asp.
• Tracie Thoms and Dorian Missick as Annie's "fake parents", based on the characters Lily St. Regis and Rooster Hannigan.
• David Zayas as Lou, the local bodega owner who is a friend of Annie and has a crush on Miss Hannigan.

Supporting characters

• Peter Van Wagner as Harold Gray, Stacks' mayoral opponent. The name is a nod to the creator of the Little Orphan Annie comic strip.
• Stephanie Kurtzuba as Mrs. Kovacevic, the kleptomaniac social services woman.
• Mike Birbiglia as Social services inspector

The Orphans

• Nicolette Pierini as Mia Putnam, the smallest foster girl.
• Amanda Troya as Pepper Ulster, the bossiest foster girl.
• Eden Duncan-Smith as Isabella Sullivan, the oldest of Annie's foster sisters.
• Zoe Margaret Colletti as Tessie Dutchess, one of Annie's foster sisters.

Cameos

• Patricia Clarkson as Focus group woman
• Michael J. Fox as himself
• Mila Kunis as Andrea Alvin
• Ashton Kutcher as Simon Goodspeed
• Rihanna as Moon Goddess
• Bobby Moynihan as Guy in bar
• Sia Furler as Animal Care & Control Volunteer
• Derrick Baskin as Auditioning 'Dad'

Musical numbers

Main article: Annie (2014 film soundtrack)

The soundtrack features songs from the original Broadway production, written by composer Charles Strouse and lyricist Martin Charnin, and arranged by Sia and Greg Kurstin. The album, which was executive produced by Kurstin, includes songs from the film as performed by Wallis, Diaz, Foxx, Byrne, Cannavale, Troya, Smith, Pierini, and Colletti. Sia and Kurstin wrote three new songs for the soundtrack, including "Opportunity", "Who Am I", and "Moonquake Lake". Sia additionally co-wrote "The City's Yours" with Stargate. Matt Sullivan served as the film’s executive music supervisor.

1. "Overture"
2. "Maybe" - Annie, Tessie, Mia, and Isabella
3. "It's the Hard Knock Life" - Annie, Tessie, Mia, Isabella, and Pepper
4. "Tomorrow" - Annie
5. "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" - Annie and Grace
6. "Little Girls" - Miss Hannigan
7. "The City's Yours" - Will and Annie
8. "Opportunity" - Annie
9. "Easy Street" - Guy and Miss Hannigan
10. "Who Am I?" - Miss Hannigan, Will, and Annie
11. "I Don't Need Anything But You" - Will, Annie, and Grace
12. "Tomorrow/I Don't Need Anything But You" (Finale) - Cast

Production

Sony first announced the remake in January 2011, with Jay-Z and Will Smith serving as producers and Smith's daughter Willow, attached to play the lead role. In February 2011, Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy became front-runner to direct the film, but by March, he had declined.

The production soon began seeking a screenwriter, with actress Emma Thompson being considered. No developments arrived until May 2012, when Will Smith appeared on Good Morning America and provided updates, including that the film would be set in modern-day New York City, that Thompson was providing a script, and that Jay-Z would also provide newly written songs for the film. In July 2012, We Bought a Zoo screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna wrote a second draft of the script. In August, it was announced production was to begin in Spring 2013.

In January 2013, Easy A director Will Gluck was hired to direct, but Willow Smith had dropped out.

Casting

By February 2013, Beasts of the Southern Wild star and Oscar nominee Quvenzhané Wallis had replaced Smith in the lead role, and the film had scheduled a Christmas 2014 release.

In March 2013, the search for the rest of the cast continued, with Justin Timberlake rumored for the role of Daddy Warbucks. This was proven false when Jamie Foxx signed on for the role, now named Will Stacks. In June 2013, Cameron Diaz was cast as Miss Hannigan, after Sandra Bullock declined.

In July 2013, Rose Byrne joined the cast as Grace Farrell, Stacks's faithful assistant and in August, Boardwalk Empire star Bobby Cannavale joined the cast as a "bulldog political adviser" to Will Stacks. In September, the rest of the cast was announced with Amanda Troya, Nicolette Pierini, Eden Duncan-Smith, and Zoe Colletti as Annie's foster sisters.

As of September 19, 2013, principal photography had begun. Shooting was done at Grumman Studios. Other scenes were filmed at the new Four World Trade Center.

Changes from prior adaptations

The 2014 film adaptation is a contemporary take on the 1977 Broadway musical and contains some differences from the original. The character of Annie was changed from being of Irish descent to African-American (which itself is lampshaded in its opening scene, in which a character representing the classic design of Annie is briefly seen), and the story's setting was changed from the 1930's to present-day New York City. In the 1930s, anti-Irish sentiments were more prominent, and a Irish orphan would have faced struggles and prejudices that are not a prominent today, so the change reflects current societal attitudes as part of the updating to a modern time. Additionally, Annie no longer goes to an orphanage, but is kept in foster care. The character of Oliver Warbucks was modified to create William Stacks, an entrepreneur turned politician trying to run for Mayor of New York City.

Several songs had updated/altered lyrics, including "It's the Hard Knock Life", "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here", "Little Girls", "Easy Street", and "I Don't Need Anything But You". Many songs were omitted from the 2014 film, mostly due to the lyrics having to do with the 1933 setting (i.e. "We'd Like to Thank You, Herbert Hoover", "A New Deal for Christmas") or for unspecified reasons ("N.Y.C."). "Something Was Missing", although absent from the film, was recorded by Jamie Foxx and is featured on Target exclusive releases of the soundtrack. "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile" is no longer a character number and is now a song played in the background.

A very noticeable change from the musical is the absence of Miss Hannigan's brother Rooster and his girlfriend Lily. In the musical and previous adaptations, Rooster and Lily posed as Annie's parents in order to steal the $50,000 reward offered by Warbucks for the arrival of Annie's parents.

Release

Annie was theatrically released in the United States on December 19, 2014 and in the United Kingdom the following day.

Piracy

On November 27, 2014, Annie was one of several films leaked by the "Guardians of Peace"—a group that the FBI believes has ties to North Korea, following its breach of Columbia's parent company Sony Pictures Entertainment. Within three days of the initial leak, Annie had been downloaded by an estimated 206,000 unique IPs. By December 9, the count had risen to over 316,000. The chief analyst at BoxOffice.com felt that despite this, the leak was unlikely to affect Annie's box office performance.

Reception

Annie was released to negative reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 28% approval rating, based on 114 reviews, with an average score of 4.4/10. The site's consensus reads, "The new-look Annie hints at a progressive take on a well-worn story, but smothers its likable cast under clichés, cloying cuteness, and a distasteful materialism." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 33 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".

Entertainment Weekly described its soundtrack as an autotuned "disaster", noting that "you won't ever hear a worse rendition of 'Easy Street' than the one performed by Diaz and Cannivale—I promise.", and concluding that "aside from an unintentional homage to Zoolander that is so tone-deaf it'll make you guffaw, Annie goes out of its way to make viewing it a hard-knock life ... for us." Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune gave Annie one-and-a-half stars, describing the adaptation as being "wobbly" and "unsatisfying", criticizing the commercialized nature of the plot changes, concluding that it was "finesse-free and perilously low on the simple performance pleasures we look for in any musical, of any period." IGN.com described Diaz's performance as being "terminally terrible", "making the film instantly un-fun whenever she's onscreen."

Accolades

Award	Date of ceremony	Category	Recipients and nominees	Result
Golden Globe Award	January 11, 2015	Best Lead Actress in a Comedy or Musical Motion Picture	Quvenzhané Wallis	Pending
		Best Original Song	"Opportunity" – Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, Will Gluck	Pending
NAACP Image Award	February 6, 2015	Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture	Quvenzhané Wallis	Pending

External links

• Official website
• Annie at IMDb
• Annie at Box Office Mojo
• Annie at Rotten Tomatoes
• Annie at Metacritic