Alfie

Cast: Jude Law, Omar Epps, Jane Krakowski, Nia Long, Sienna Miller, Marisa Tomei, Gedde Watanabe, Susan Sarandon
Director: Charles Shyer
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Rated: M 15+ sexual references, low level coarse language
Running Time: 105 Minutes

What's It All About?

Synopsis:
Yeah, it's true that Alfie Elkins epitomizes the swinging playboy bachelor archetype. But, underneath the charm, the bravado, the swagger there's another side… a man who, as Mick Jagger's lyrics for 'Alfie' so aptly describe"won't let the love in."

'Alfie' is the provocative tale of a philosophical womaniser (Jude Law) who is forced to question his seemingly carefree existence. Ultimately, his freewheeling lifestyle begins to slowly unravel in this chic, sexy, stylistic cinematic experience.

Playing the killer ladies' man Alfie is two-time Academy Award© and three time Golden Globe nominee Jude Law. Joining Law are Oscar® winners Marisa Tomei and Susan Sarandon, who portray two of the many "birds" who succumb to Alfie's charms.

My Verdict:
Jude Law does a fabulous job as Alfie, the womanising English limousine driver now living in Manhattan in this contemporary remake of the role Michael Caine made so famous back in 1966. Back in 1966, talking to the camera was inventive and portraying a womanising man as almost something to condone was considered almost outrageous, but transpose that to 2005 and the novelty value isn't quite there.

As Alfie Elkins, Jude Law is in every scene, which makes for a very demanding role and so much of that time is spent looking directly down the camera and talking to the audience as if we are the silent witnesses or willing voyeurs. Law has the looks, charm and charisma to pull off this one-on-one dialogue with the audience and it is hard not to initially succumb to the method, but after a while, it did grow tedious as he spent so much time explaining his every move and thought. Maybe it would have been better if more time was spent on the events in his life rather than having him explain them, as it is almost a cheap way of avoiding showing them, but this method does give the opportunity for Alfie to tell us what he is really thinking. Many scenes are interrupted as Alfie looks down the camera and relates something whilst the other actors in the scene are left in 'stand-by' mode.

'Alfie' is a movie basically in two acts, with the first showing Alfie as the non-committing rogue cad and the second act displaying his demise and realisation that perhaps his carefree single life ain't what he thought it was cracked up to be. There are plenty of talented actors to help Alfie stumble along his way, including single mother Marisa Tomei, the very rich older woman, Susan Sarandon, the wildchild Sienna Miller, the former girlfriend of Alfie's best friend, Nia Long, his best friend Omar Epps and the lonely Jane Krakowski, all adding a variety of performances. The movie is very upbeat, stylish, funny in places and has a great musical score including three original songs written specifically for the film by Grammy winners Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart.

'Alfie' is a likeable movie but one can't help feeling that once Alfie was left alone to ponder what it's all about, there was a sense of satisfaction that he had actually become a victim of his own arrogant behaviour, which felt like a moral victory for those that think it was deserved, me included. It was certainly hard to feel any sympathy for such a slime even if he was beginning to see the error of his ways which makes you question: are we meant to like or hate Alfie?

Rating : C+

Christina Bruce