"Alfie is a total knockout of a movie: stylish, well-crafted and well-performed. It also manages simultaneously to be a cautionary tale for Casanovas everywhere."
Sarah Chauncey REEL.COM
"What the new Alfie turns out be all about is Jude Law, perfectly cast in the role played by Caine."
Terry Lawson DETROIT FREE PRESS
"...Law has the right balance of bravado, smooth tact and social etiquette to believably court chicks way out of his league."
Mike Ward, RICHMOND.COM
"While it's hard to replicate the pathos of the original, the very handsome Jude Law makes the remake eminently watchable."
Urban Cinefile Critics URBAN CINEFILE
"Pretty good as pretty good goes, with Jude Law turning in an efficiently chipper, if palpably less dark, performance than the one that earned Michael Caine his first Oscar nomination and came to define his career."
Ella Taylor LA WEEKLY
"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."
Peter Travers ROLLING STONE
"Terrific performance by Law."
Richard Roeper, EBERT & ROEPER
"A breezy, sexy romp with a conscience that reflects in obvious but interesting ways on societal changes over the intervening 38 years."
Todd McCarthy VARIETY
"Alfie is a funny, breezy film. Law is especially sexy, sultry and charming to watch."
Jeanne Kaplan KAPLAN VS KAPLAN
"Transported from London to Manhattan, and updated by some 40 years, Alfie still retains enough charm and bite to win discerning audiences over again."
Daniel Eagan FILM JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL
The Inside Story
The original screen adaptation of the Bill Naughton stage play "Alfie" made its way onto the big screen way back in 1966 and created quite a stir. Promiscuity was frownded upon and the screen had not seen anything as forthright and wilfully sexual as "Alfie" provided its audiences. It boasted a pretty good cast in those days including Shelley Winters, Jane Asher, Shirley Anne Field, Vivien Merchant, Eleanor Bron, Murray Melvin , Denholm Elliott and a cockney lad with red hair and hornrimmed glasses by the name of Michael Caine. Alfie was a happy go lucky London lad whose sole aim in life was to date and win over as many women as possible. Alfie managed to get it off with a wide variety of women from the rich, to the homeless and his best friends wife. When Alfie discovers his girlfriend is pregnant, the cad flees to the countryside. For those of us who are Michael Caine fans and who were old enough to see the original it was a history making moment in the film industry, because this was a defining role that really did bring Caine to the forefront. Of course it's all history now. Water under the bridge they say. Sadly, there's a heck of a lot of people who were around at that time who are no longer here to see the somewhat remake of that classic. Yes "Alfie" is back. This time around there are changes and that's great because there's nothing worse than reading reviews in which critics make useless comparisons with a film that although it's still funny, is from an era nearly four decades ago. Cinema and the world has moved on since then. And if you really want to know how long ago it was then here's some trivia. When "Alfie" was first released in 1966, the Motion Picture Association of America didn't even have a rating board in place. Later in 1972 it would receive a PG rating. Now that's pretty ancient! "Alfie", as he was in the last century, is played by an Englishman, and one who has forged a remarkable career so far in the film industry. This time around, Jude Law, whose talented was first noticed on the stage in the role of "Michael" [for which he received the Ian Charleson Award for Outstanding Newcomer] plays that randy devil "Alfie", not in London, but now transposed across the Atlantic to New York. Law says playing the role presented a number of challenges for him. "This kind of lothario, matinee idol, good with the girls type of character is definitely a test for any actor to portray, but the script was so good I had to do it," says Law. "Actually, Alfie is more multifaceted than one would think. He's really quite a thoughtful fellow when you think about it, and he is trying to change his wayward ways." As in the original "Alfie" narrates his own story, face to face. "I was very clear that the character should be outrageous, not just in the sense of his actions, but in his thoughts as well," says Director and co-writer Charles Shyer. "By having Alfie speak to the audience, he's able to offer insight into what he's really thinking, this is the first of many steps he will take on his bumpy journey to discover what's truly in his heart." "It was very alien at first, but after a while I began to feel like the wall wasn't there at all," says Law. "It truly became second nature for me, and I think that once people watching the movie get used to it, they'll feel that Alfie is talking to each one of them as a friend. Charles is a director who understands comedy very well. I was always trying to pull out the darkness from Alfie, and thankfully, Charles was there to help pull out the light. It was the perfect blend."
And while there are many, many humorous moments there is a serious side to the "Alfie" story. "There's a definite dark side to Alfie," says the director. "The dark side being his blindness, his ignorance and his cruelty, all of which he's blissfully unaware of, until of course, he's forced to take a hard look at himself and the pain he's wrought." Of course "Alfie" wouldn't be "Alfie" without a bevy of beautiful women on hand for his sexual pleasure. Marisa Tomei plays Julie, a single mother whom Alfie visits when he needs a bit of comfort and home cooking. As Alfie says, "She's my semi-permanent-quasi-sort-of-girlfriend." Nia Long plays Lonette, the one woman in Alfie's life whom he has always considered out of his league. She's also off-limits since his best friend, Marlon wants to marry her. "Alfie can't help notice how Lonette is gorgeous, smart, funny, can balance a dozen drinks on a tray and still move like poetry." Jane Krakowski plays frustrated housewife Dorie, who's content with her "weekly Alfie fix." According to Dorie, her old man hasn't touched her in six months, which in Alfie's mind is an invitation to help the guy out by picking up the slack for him. To Dorie's face, Alfie says, "You deserve to be appreciated." To the camera, he adds a caveat: "While she's in her prime." The cheeky bastard! Sienna Miller plays Nikki. She happens into Alfie's life when he's at a bit of a low point, driving around the city, alone in his limo on Christmas Eve. Perhaps that's why he describes Nikki as his "Christmas Miracle." It is only after they've been involved for a while that Nikki's flaws rise above her gorgeous packaging, at which point Alfie is reminded of a Greek goddess he once saw chiseled in marble: "That's Nikki, a beautiful statue, damaged in a way you can't see till you get too close." But not in real life for Miller and Law have recently become engaged to be married. Could it be there is a little "Alfie" in Jude Law? Finally, among a mountain of young stuff, there has to be a beautiful, voluptuous woman in this Alfie's life. That comes in the shape of the very desirable, very beautiful Susan Sarandon who plays Liz, a woman who is as sexy as she is successful, and one of the women in Alfie's life who just might just be able to keep up with him in both the libido and the charm department. As Alfie declares: "She's someone who could mother you and rock your world. Fifty if she's a day, beautifully preserved and cleavage like the Holland Tunnel." At last the lad is learning it seems. And how did Sarandon take to the role of the one woman who is able to bring "Alfie" crashing down to earth? "I love the way my character is described in the script: 'A voluptuous [some would say over-ripe, all would say sexy] woman decked out in Chanel.' I mean, who wouldn't want to play a vixen like that!" Sarandon says with a laugh. "Actually, beyond the physical description, I like how tough this broad is. She finally dishes out to Alfie what he's been dishing out to women for years." When it comes to dishing out, "Alfie" does that well. It's a free spirited romp around New York, the women are all gorgeous [including "Alfies" landlord Mrs Schnitman] and there's a good moral to the tale. "It's a cautionary tale," Shyernotes, "one that says wake up and see how your behavior affects others. Our modern Alfie experiences a true journey, from someone who is blind to his actions, to someone who begins to have a bit of insight into the error of his ways. It slowly dawns on Alfie that perhaps the person who is suffering the most is himself."
Crew Bytes
"ALFIE" was .......
directed by WGA Award winner Charles Shyer ["Private Benjamin", "Father Of The Bride", "The Parent Trap" and "The Affair of the Necklace"]; screenplay by EMMY Award winner Elaine Pope [TV'S "Not Necessarily The News", "Murphy Brown" and "Seinfeld"] and Charles Shyer ["Protocol", "Private Benjamin", "Once Upon a Crime" and TV'S "The Odd Couple"]; original story by Bill Naughton [Stage plays "Alfie", "The Family Way", "Spring and Port Wine" and "Alfie Darling"]; costume design by Beatrix Aruna Pasztor ["Drugstore Cowboy", "The Fisher King", "Good Will Hunting" and "The Recruit"]; production design by RTS Television Award winner Sophie Becher ["To Kill A King", "B Monkey", "Loch Ness" and TV'S "The Borrowers"]; edited by Padraic McKinley ["Igby Goes Down" and "The Truman Show"]; director of photograhpy Ashley Rowe ["Widows' Peak", "The Affair of the Necklace", "Ali G Indahouse" and "Calendar Girls"]; original music by Mick Jagger [ Songs for "The Big Chill", "Goodfellas", "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "Mean Streets"] and John Powel ["Into The West", "White Fang", "Face/Off", "Two Weeks Notice" and "The Bourne Identity"]; produced by Elaine Pope ["Seinfeld" and "These Old Broads"] and Charles Shyer ["Private Benjamin", "The Affair of the Necklace" and "The Parent Trap"] with songs composed by GRAMMY Award, MTV Award and Best British Song Writer Award winner David A Stewart ["Nine 1/2 Weeks", "Flatliners", "Striptease", "Ruthless People", "Big Daddy", "Duets" and "Around the World in 80 Days"]
Casting About
"ALFIE" stars .......
BAFTA and Evening Standard Award winner Jude Law ["Road To Perdition", "Wilde", "Gattaca", Enemy At The Gate" and "Sky Captain an the World Of Tomorrow"]; 2003 TONY Award winner Jane Krakowski ["Go", "Mrs Winterbourne", "National Lampoon's Vacation" and "Fatal Attraction"]; Academy Award winner Marisa Tomei ["My Cousin Vinny", "Welcome To Sarajevo", "What Women Want" and "The Guru"]; Academy Award and SAG Award winner Susan Sarandon ["Bull Durham", "Thelma and Louise", "Dead Man Walking", "The Banger Sisters" and "Moonlight Mile"]; Sienna Miller ["Layer Cake"]; Nia Long ["The Broken Hearts Club", "Stigmata", "Boyz N the Hood" and "Big Momma's House"]; Jo Yang ["If You Only Knew" and "Angela"]; Gedde Watanabe ["Boys on the Side", "That Thing You Do!", "Slackers" and "Perfect Alibi"]; Renée Taylor ["The Mugger", "The Producers", "Last of the Red Hot Lovers", "Dying On the Edge" and "The Lady Killers"]; Dick Latessa ["The Substance of Fire", "Better Than Ever", "Stigmata" and "The Event"] and Omar Epps ["Major League 2", "Scream 2", "Dracula 2000" and "Against The Ropes"] as Marlon.
What It's All About
Alfie is a carefree young man who dresses well, drives a scooter, works as a limo driver and just loves women. From single mum's to rich women and even though he should know better, his best friend's lady. Living, working and loving in New York is ideal according to Alfie. Well, at least that's what he's telling us. In fact, Alfie is a real user uperer. He really doesn't care for anything other than sex and his ego is like an overinflated balloon just waiting for someone to come along and prick it. The name of the game for Alfie is never commit yourself. With an attitude like that, even the best can come undone. And like Alfie, the first thing they ask is, "What's it all about"?
The Verdict
"Forget remakes, talk of remakes, comparisons that are useless and enjoy the fun, the women, the Big Apple, the style and everything makes and takes "Alfie" into the 21st century. While Jude Laws does grow on you it doesn't take much brains to work out that his character "Alfie" is skating on thin ice. In the end the "What's it all about"? reveals itself with devestating effect. Sadly you and "Alfie" realize, he isn't all that likeable a lad.It's all good fun, but guys, don't let the girlfriend see this one because they may just see through some of you. Recommended."
The Cast
Jude Law
Jane Krakowski
Marisa Tomei
Omar Epps
Susan Sarandon
Sienna Miller
Nia Long
Gedde Watanabe
Dick Latessa
Renée Taylor
Jeff Harding
Kevin Rahm
Max Morris
Jo Yang
Tara Summers
Sam Vincenti
Katherine La Nasa
Claudette Mink
Anouska De Georgiou
Anastasia Griffith
Jefferson Mays
Deborah Lynn-Shayer
Veronica Clifford
Sondra James
Graydon Carter
Steven Morphew
Charlotte Moore
Cosima Shaw
Marjan Neshat
Gil Williams
Saidah Arrika Ekulona
Stephen Gaghan
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Alfie
Dorie
Julie
Marlon
Liz
Nikki
Lonette
Wing
Joe
Lu Schnitman
Phil
Terry
Max
Mrs Wing
Carol
Felix
Uta
Bitter Girl
Tonya
Chyna
Dr Miranda Kulp
Pretty Teacher
Waiting Room Nurse
Mrs Liberman
Wes
Waldorf Doorman
New Year's Eve Singer
New Year's Eve Singer
Traffic Cop
Elvis, the Doorman
Gilda, the Receptionist
Adam
The Crew
Directed by Charles Shyer
Original play by Bill Naughton
Original "Alfie" screenplay by Bill Naughton
Screenplay by Elaine Pope & Charles Shyer
Produced by Elaine Pope & Charles Shyer
Executive Producers Sean Daniel & Diana Phillips
Original Music by Mick Jagger & John Powel
Cinematography by Ashley Rowe
Film Editing by Padraic McKinley
Casting by Nina Gold & Mindy Marin
Production Design by Sophie Becher
Set Decoration by Ellen Christiansen
Costume Design by Beatrix Aruna Pasztor
Production Manager Richard Hewitt
Run Time M15+ minutes
Rated 105 [AUST]
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