Annie

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Annie is available in the UK on Amazon Prime Video and Sky Go right now. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 776 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Watch it for Aileen Quinn — stay for everyone else around them. Start it on Amazon Prime Video whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, Annie is worth clearing space for. Annie gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. An orphan in a facility run by the mean Miss Hannigan, Annie believes that her parents left her there by mistake. When a rich man named Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks decides to let an orphan live at his home to promote his image, Annie is selected. While Annie gets accustomed to living in Warbucks' mansion, she still longs to meet her parents. Aileen Quinn and Albert Finney lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1982. Annie earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, Annie respects your intelligence. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch from start to finish. Aileen Quinn's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.