[I]t’s robbed of its sting because the character seems like such a relic, closer to Austin Powers than to a single man in 2004.
Alfie (2004)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:146
Fresh:72
Rotten:74
Average Rating:5.5/10
Rated: R [See Full Rating] for sexual content, some language and drug use
Runtime: 1 hr 45 mins
Genre: Comedies
Theatrical Release:Nov 5, 2004 Wide
Box Office: $13,351,235
Synopsis: Jude Law stars in this trenchant dramatic-comedy, a remake of the 1966 British counterculture classic that launched the career of Michael Caine. This version is set in New York City and is pumped... Jude Law stars in this trenchant dramatic-comedy, a remake of the 1966 British counterculture classic that launched the career of Michael Caine. This version is set in New York City and is pumped up with giddy, cleverly experimental editing. The story has Alfie (Law), a Don Juan-esque limo driver, speaking directly to the camera as he seduces the lovely ladies of the city. Eventually he's forced to take stock of the damage he's caused, and acknowledge the emptiness at the core of his chosen lifestyle. Playing the role of Alfie requires a fine balancing act from Law--he must be so charming that he seduces both the audience and himself, while also conveying the self-delusion and sadness at the character's core--and Law is up for the challenge, expertly conveying glimpses of the unfathomed depth beneath his polished shallowness. Equally good are his array of conquests, including Marisa Tomei as a single mom, Sienna Miller as a mood-swinging party girl, and Susan Sarandon as a rich older woman. A soundtrack by Mick Jagger and David Stewart (Eurythmics) adds liberal dollops of self-aware rock & roll melancholy. Dick Latessa is great as an old man who offers Alfie some sage advice, and Omar Epps plays the screwed-over limo driving buddy. [More]
Starring: Jude Law, Marisa Tomei, Susan Sarandon, Sienna Miller
Starring: Jude Law, Marisa Tomei, Susan Sarandon, Sienna Miller, Omar Epps, Jane Krakowski, Nia Long, Gedde Watanabe, Dick Latessa, Renee Taylor
Director: Charles Shyer
Director: Charles Shyer
Screenwriter: Elaine Pope, Charles Shyer
Producer: Elaine Pope, Charles Shyer
Composer: Mick Jagger, David A. Stewart
Studio: Paramount Pictures
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Reviews for Alfie
Unlike other preternaturally attractive male stars, Law doesn’t seem to carry that instantaneous, off-putting smugness that necessitates a thorough comeuppance by film’s end.
No, it's not as good as the original, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it.
Alfie, the remake of the 1966 film, has lost its bite. Time has not been kind to the cockney Don Juan. This “Alfie” lacks the original's sexual-cultural resonance.
Charles Shyer’s remake du jour is a charmingly chic, dramatically weak ode to the post-Metrosexual Revolution.
His carefully tousled blond mop? His devilish blue eyes? His oily pickup lines and false promises coated in a cool British ahccent? Please.
Law's performance as archetypal bad-boy Alfie Elkins is immensely enjoyable.
Back in the mid-1960s, Alfie Elkins was one of the reasons a women's liberation movement was necessary. Today, he's just another bad date with a surplus of personal grooming products.
Alfie the remake, despite fine work by the cast (yes, there are people in the movie other than Law, but not so's you'd notice), doesn't really work -- it ultimately has nothing to say, and no reason to exist.
The new script raises the emotional stakes of the old scenes it retains, cuts plot elements that can't be updated and creates new story lines that are just as effective as those it replaces.
What's it all about in 2004? Considerably less than in 1966, in the Michael Caine version.
It lacks the harsh, biting punch of its memorable 1966 predecessor. And perhaps there was no other way to do it.
Law’s Alfie just doesn’t have the sharky heart that Michael Caine’s did 40 years ago...
The women Alfie betrays, played by Marisa Tomei, Jane Krakowski, Nia Long and Sienna Miller (Law's offscreen love and an actress of beauty and intelligence), give him so many deserved post-feminist whacks that you almost pity the guy.
In an obvious nod to modern times, today's Alfie merely explores his lack of commitment. The result is entertaining, but in a more superficial, less meaningful way.
Now, such resilience is less charming than it might once have been, and certainly less excusable.
The supporting cast of females (and Epps) is fun to watch, and the film boasts three original songs by Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart.
Latest News for Alfie
September 07, 2006:
Jude Law to Reprise Michael Caine Again in "Sleuth" Remake
He did it in "Alfie," and he'll do it again. Jude Law will star in the remake of the 1972 thriller, "Sleuth," as an adulterous hairdresser opposite Michael... More...
November 02, 2005:
Hoffman & Shyer Sign on for "Less"
Variety reports that director Charles Shyer has been tapped to direct the Dustin Hoffman comedy "Father Knows Less" for New Line. And if you're even a little familiar... More...
August 18, 2005:
In Other News...P. Diddy, Madonna, and Jude Law
Make note, world -- Sean Combs, hip-hop producer, aspiring actor, and professional celeb extraordinaire -- is making a change. As of this month, when the entertainer will... More...
July 18, 2005:
In Other News: Marital Edition...Jude Law, Sandra Bullock, and Frankie Muniz
In Other News is back, with marital highs and lows alike to keep you gossip-mongers happy...starting with "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow" star Jude Law, whose... More...
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