ARTHUR (12A, 110 mins) ** Starring Russell Brand, Helen Mirren, Greta Gerwig, Jennifer Garner, Geraldine James, Luiz Guzman. Director: Jason Winer

Money makes the world go around, but it can’t buy you love or a flawless update of the Oscar-winning 1981 comedy starring Dudley Moore as the eponymous billionaire and Sir John Gielgud as his long-suffering, strait-laced butler.

Russell Brand is cast as a loveable yet irresponsible man-child, whose limitless fortune allows him to circumvent the laws that keep the rest of society in check.

Unlike his predecessor, Brand doesn’t possess the innate vulnerability or charm which compelled us to care for Arthur as he boozed himself towards oblivion.

Instead, this new version opts for risque humour and pop culture references, including a cameo for Evander Holyfield as the hero’s boxing coach and a crunching appearance by the Batmobile in the opening sequence.

Crucially, the film chooses a female nanny to keep Arthur out of trouble, casting Oscar winner Helen Mirren in this pivotal role.

She brings gravitas to the part and nabs many of the best lines, gently tugging the heartstrings when the friendship with her reckless ward is tested to its limit.

Arthur Bach (Brand) is heir to his family’s vast fortune, presided over by his emotionally cold mother, Vivienne (James). The headline-grabbing antics of her son threaten the public image of Bach Worldwide and Vivienne summons Arthur to her office.

Vivienne tells Arthur that he will marry corporate executive Susan Johnson (Garner) to ensure she can take charge of the company.

If Arthur refuses, he will be cut off from his inheritance and the privileged lifestyle he has known since birth.

Arthur resigns himself to marital hell, only to run into tour guide and aspiring author Naomi (Gerwig) outside Grand Central Station. She has no clue who he is, and he responds warmly to her quirky sense of humour.

Soon after, Arthur tries to persuade his mother he must marry for love, not financial security.

He goes ahead with the nuptials while secretly seeing Naomi, aided and abetted by his nanny Hobson (Mirren) and chauffeur Bitterman (Guzman).

The film boasts some nice moments, most of them involving Mirren and Brand, whose on-screen rapport sustains interest through the unwieldy 110-minute running time.

Comparisons with the original film are not particularly favourable, and in the current climate of global recession and austerity, it’s hard to care about a man with pockets deeper than his feelings.