The sun will come out tomorrow in this Will Gluck-directed musical reboot of Annie, which he penned with Aline Brosh McKenna from the Thomas Meehan stage book and Harold Gray’s comic strip. But the real question here is whether or not the contemporary updates — Warbucks is now Will Stacks (Jamie Foxx), a billionaire tycoon running for mayor of New York, and Annie (Quvenzhané Wallis) is still an orphan in search of a loving home — will connect with modern audiences who might not be so desperate for the kind of charitable narrative rooted in old-fashioned New Deal ideals. In other words, it better bring some social media likes to attract the real feel-good appeal that will guarantee butts in seats or there will be lots of hard knocks in its short theatrical life. (Opens wide Friday) (PG) Not reviewed
This article appears in Dec 17-23, 2014.