Alfie (DVD)

...around the main character umm Alfie who is played by Jude Law. Originally released in 2004, I am as usual a late arriver to getting around to viewing it. I watched the VHS version, which I know is very 20th century darling, but it was on offer in Poundland for a um pound, so I snapped it up like a mad woman succumbing to the lustful vision of Jude gazing at me in adoration on the cover. I just know he was thinking about me. I haven't watched the ...
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Alfie is everyone woman's seemingly perfect guy. Smartly dressed, well spoken, charming, witty and sexy as can be. He knows the art of seducing women to a tea, he knows how their minds work, when they begin to start wanting more from a relationship and how to keep them dangling like the proverbial carrot. In his late 20's, Alfie is the ultimate player, he womanises several women at a time and doesn't give a ... more

Now I have your attention, I will begin.

I am reviewing the remake of the classic 1960's film 'Alfie'. The film is set around the main character umm Alfie who is played by Jude Law. Originally released in 2004, I am as usual a late arriver to getting around to viewing it. I watched the VHS version, which I know is very 20th century darling, but it was on offer in Poundland for a um pound, so I snapped it up like a mad woman succumbing to the lustful vision of Jude gazing at me in adoration on the cover. I just know he was thinking about me. I haven't watched the original so unfortunately I can't make the comparisons I would have liked to but here is my thoughts on the film as a whole.

Who Is Alfie?
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Alfie is everyone woman's seemingly perfect guy. Smartly dressed, well spoken, charming, witty and sexy as can be. He knows the art of seducing women to a tea, he knows how their minds work, when they begin to start wanting more from a relationship and how to keep them dangling like the proverbial carrot. In his late 20's, Alfie is the ultimate player, he womanises several women at a time and doesn't give a second thought to how his actions will affect their feelings. As long as his needs are satisfied and he gets his end away with a stunning beauty who has the three Alfie requirements abbreviated to FBB - Face, Bum, Boobs he is a happy chap.

Taking a closer look at Alfie we start to see the cracks showing. He is a limousine driver for a backstreet firm with little prospects, poor wage and ambitions of eventually beginning his own limousine firm with his work mate 'Marlon'. He spends his work life chauffeuring rich high society men and their wives/bits on the side to different meetings and designer shops. Although resentful of his place in life and the aspirations he had when coming to Manhattan from the UK expecting to end up a rich businessman, he uses the job to further his philandering skills. Regularly humping bored rich wives in the back of his limousine, promising to call and then driving off into the distance with a self assured smirk on his face. He is a pure and utter commitment-phobe. His endless search for the perfect woman, who we all know doesn't exist, is fruitless but entertaining.

He smokes profusely, drinks anything put in front of him ~ see the vile green drink episode with Susan Sarandon! ~ and swears like a trooper, but he is loveable and very good at the art of seducing. I'm guessing a lot of the female viewers who watched this wouldn't mind Alfie chasing them themselves. He oozes lust, sexuality and charm. Oh, I'm all of a fluster now.

The Basic Outline Of The Story
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This version of Alfie has been updated and written by two American writers. Their wit and one liners is comparable to Sex and the City with Jude Law being the male 'Carrie Bradshaw'.

Dating is an addiction for Alfie he has to be in control at all times ,you could almost imagine him at a local sex addicts anonymous club. His need to be assured of his pulling power and good looks reveals a slight insecurity that is covered up by his metro sexual outside cover. A fashion whore who covets the latest designer releases he uses all his powers to woo and cajole relationships with any women available.

The film sees Alfie weave in and out of the hustle and bustle of Manhattan life, going from party to party, drinking, smoking and abusing his body with little thought of tomorrow. He has several relations with women throughout the film (see The Actors Performances) but is always on the outlook for someone better, someone more beautiful or better off. He has one good friend Marlon a work colleague, but that is all. His philandering ruthless ways have meant he is isolated, alone with his thoughts and plots for whom to go after next. He lives alone in his Manhattan apartment where he uses his charming ways to get his elderly neighbour to clean and tidy for him everyday, she always falls for the same lines!

In Manhattan he makes no references to his family back in the UK. He has come to America to start afresh, build a whole facade up about who he is and hopefully land on his feet. His pretty boy looks and English accent are all it takes.. he thinks.

The Actors Performances
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Jude Law - Has the huge task of carrying the entire film. 34 year old Jude is a huge crowd puller in the UK box office ranks. Born in Lewisham, South England he has had a much publicised personal life. Previously married to Sadie frost with whom he has 3 children to, and then having an on/off relationship with co-star in this film Sienna Miller which is now officially off (or is it?!). He is a darling of the tabloids and Hello and OK! magazine. His real life persona is comparable to that of Alfie with dalliances with his children's nanny Daisy Wright, whilst in a relationship with Sienna. Why he would need to stray from such a beautiful girl bemuses me totally! Previous film roles he has done include; Dickie Greenleaf in 'The Talented Mr Ripley' and Inman in 'Cold Mountain'.

In Aflie Jude is the rock around which the whole film revolves. He speaks to the camera throughout, talking directly to the audience like an old pal. He reveals his true feelings on the women whilst they are in the shot with him, as if he is speaking his thoughts which they aren't akin to. His suave English accent, lustful smile and overall smooth talking all prove infallible to the women around him. Jude carries it off with aplomb, It all looks very easy to him and is believable. The crowd goes from loving him to wanting to scream at him throughout the film. He acts very selfishly, getting what he wants, when he wants from anyone around him. Jude looks like he is relishing the role getting to snog many beautiful actresses and being the ultimate playboy whilst driving around Manhattan in his 1960's style vintage Vespa.

The Love Interests..
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Marisa Tomei - Plays 'Julie' single mother whom Alfie first appears to have any kind of relationship with. Marisa plays a sexy siren of a yummy mummy who the audience empathises with from the off start. She craves security for her and her son. The first scene we see him going to her flat after having 'relations' with another woman in the back of his limousine and expecting Marisa's character to prepare him dinner, run him a hot bath and then let him fall asleep peacefully. All in all he is obviously using her for all he can get. She quickly susses him out after pursuing the future of their relationship and finding red satin evidence to the contrary. However, Alfie does exude and inch of humanity when he shows the downside of getting involved with a single mother - the growing relationship with her son. It is obvious their is some affection between them and this affects him when they inevitably split up. This leaves the audience with the question - Does Alfie secretly want children of his own? This question is never truly answered.

Jane Krakowski - Plays 'Dorie' who appears fleetingly throughout the film. Jane will be familiar to you as she was a regular in the drama comedy series 'Ally Mcbeal' playing the nosey secretary Elaine. Her character in Alfie is the totally oposite, she is a fiery vixen. The wife of a disinterested businessman husband she bemoans the lack of a sex life and attention her husband provides to an ever willing Alfie. Her long legs, siren blonde locks and alluring eyes are all it takes for Alfie to clock her and mark her as another notch on his bedpost. Does she want more and can he provide it? You guess, but the answer seems blatantly obvious.

Susan Sarandon - Plays 'Liz' the older woman. The hard to crack business woman equal of Alfie, she is beautiful, dripping in jewellery and designer names and rich and successful. She is Alfies ultimate dream woman whom he cannot believe is interested in him and has fallen for his bravado. Susan Sarandon plays the role so convincingly, her no nonsense sultry attitude surprised me as I'm used to seeing her in other far more conventional roles such as 'Stepmom' and 'The Witches Of Eastwick'. She works the crowd and runs circles around Alfie without him knowing. Will she be the one to give him the crash back down to reality he needs?

Sienna Miller - In the film that kick-started her career and rocketed into the headlines in the UK and America, Sienna plays Nikki. The wild child, beautiful hippy who is more than a handful for even Alfie. With almost little to no dialogue Sienna provides a memorable performance (for more than one reason!) as she runs rings around Alfie, even though he first presumed she might be the one, beautiful perfect trophy girlfriend he had always desired. He compares her to a statue he once saw in an art gallery that looked perfect from afar, but up close there were obvious cracks that ruined the whole effect for him. She smokes weed, has obvious mental health problems but tries to bend over backwards to please Alfie throughout. Does he stick with her? This was the role that brought the two together for their somewhat sticky relationship after, the sexual chemistry on screen is evident.

Nia Long - Plays the stunning girlfriend of Alfies Best Friend Marlon, 'Loretta'. A breathtakingly gorgeous vision she temporarily breaks up with Marlon and Alfie is only to willing to help her get over the break up and in his words, do his best friend a favour by laying some ground work to get them back together again. After a few cocktails with Loretta in a bar on their own one night, things get heavy on the pool table and one thing leads to another which blows the whole film into an almighty surprise explosion. She gets pregnant and decides and abortion is the way to go. Alfie although shocked is totally unempathetic and rather than worry about Loretta is more interested in his cover story to Marlon if any questions are raised. Marlon and Loretta up sticks and move away deciding to want to get away from it all, Marlon totally oblivious and unsuspecting to the whole events that have past but will it all come back to haunt Alfie?

Soundtrack
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Here is a full track list:

1. "Old Habits Die Hard" - Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart
2. "Blind Leading The Blind (Live Acoustic Version)" - Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart
3. "New York Hustle"
4. "Let's Make It Up" - Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart
5. "Wicked Time" - Joss Stone and Nadirah "Nadz" Seid, addt'l vocals by Mick Jagger
6. "Lonely Without You (This Christmas)" - Mick Jagger and Joss Stone
7. "Darkness Of Your Love" - Gary "Mudbone" Cooper and Dave Stewart
8. "Jack The Lad"
9. "Oh Nikki"
10. "Blind Leading The Blind" - Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart
11. "Standing In The Rain"
12. "Counting The Days"
13. "Old Habits Reprise"
14. "Alfie" - Joss Stone
15. BONUS TRACK: "Old Habits Die Hard" - Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart featuring Sheryl Crow

Quite a dark moody set of songs these are all recognisable from the film. Not something you would want to dance about to but if you are in a contemplative mood, maybe its your thing. Not something I would rush out and buy though to be honest. I much prefer the old Burt Bacharach version of 'Alfie'.

Availability
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A quick search on Kelkoo.com brought up these results for Alfie.

Play.com £13.99 & Free P&P for DVD - Box set with old version
Amazon.co.uk £5.97

I got my VHS from Poundland so I recommend if you are unsure whether this film is for you to get it from there then you aren't losing out on much money if you despise it.

It is available from all good high streets and supermarkets also.

Who this film would appeal to
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Fans of Jude Law and Sienna Miller unite for this is the film for you. If you are into chick flicks, adored Sex and The City and love the pretty boy look, I can assure you will love this. I had limited expectations before watching as I have never really been a fan of Jude Law but this changed my mind completely, I fell for his charms totally. The film is fast paced and easy to get into and ticks all the boxes in what I was looking for. Appealing to mostly 20 something women who are after a DVD to watch with pizza and Lambrini and other girls on a Friday night you can't go wrong.

Summarising
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I was shocked to find out that this film was actually rather good. I know it came in for a lot of criticism when first released being quite a box office flop, but I loved it. I haven't seen the original though so this might be why my view is quite biased. The supporting actresses all add to magic of this film and the setting of swish Manhattan in winter all give it a cosy feel. I thought Alfie's monologues to camera would be annoying but No! They just brought more to the screen. An inside view into the working of any playboys thoughts might give women around the world a clue to what to expect, however shocking or selfish it is. You are left feeling sorry for the loveless shallow world Alfie exists in. Does he really enjoy his life? You decide. I wouldn't like to be a part of it for long.

This begs the question:

What's it all about Alfie? (I had to do it :D)

Thank you for reading.

copyright cherwaite 2006 xx

 

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