Apologies for my absense. Have had uni exams & now that's over, I just have two jobs, coursework, un...
Apologies for my absense. Have had uni exams & now that's over, I just have two jobs, coursework, uni, a role in The Vagina Monologues and the small matter of a social life to sort before I return... Sorry!
Member since:02.02.2003
Reviews:37
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I have to admit that I was nervous about this Michael Caine remake following the disaster of Stallone's version of "Get Carter" and the mediocre "The Italian Job". But then I saw the adverts of a rather ravishing Jude Law and decided that I should at least see the film before criticising it...
PLOT:
Alfie is a young English man working as a limo driver in New York, using his undeniable charm, wit and cheeky grin to get the ladies. The first time we really meet him, he gives us his basic morning routine straight to the camera, giving us such GQ tips as masculine men should not fear the colour pink. We even see him working his charm on his elderley neighbour so she cleans his flat, a haven of Alfie's that rarely sees any of his numerous conquests.
These conquests include the beauiful but not quite good enough Julie, a single mum who is Alfie's sometime girlfriend. You see, Alfie doesn't do commitment as right before he goes to see Julie, he takes married Dora for a "ride" in the limo. Not to mention the drunken mistake he makes with Lonette, his best friend's ex who he is still very much in love with. This leads to all kinds of lies, deceit and generally hurtful behaviour. Not that Alfie realises how much he hurts people.
In the end, Julie has had enough and calls it a day. Although Alfie pretends that this doesn't hurt, it really does, most obviously manifesting in his impotence due to stress. Although upset at the fact that a woman dared to walk away from him for once, Alfie goes out on the town and cheers himself up.
At Christmas, he meets the beautiful but troubled Nikki. Alfie is smitten from the word go and he ends up letting her move in with him. But once he meets Liz, an older lady already playing mistress to a stuffy businessman, he starts to chase her. As an older woman, she teaches him a few things about life and Alfie starts to realise that maybe he isn't so happy with Nikki after all. However, once Nikki, Julie and Dora are all gone and he's only left with Liz, could Alfie ever be happy? In a world where everyone is searching for happiness, shouldn't Alfie consider the long term effects of his actions?
CAST:
Alfie - Jude Law Marlon - Omar Epps Lonette - Nia Long Julie - Marissa Tomei Nikki - Sienna Miller Liz - Susan Sarandon
RUNNING TIME: 103 mins
SUMMARY:
Essentially, the original version of Alfie grew from the time in which it was set, namely the 1960's. Michael Caine's character was a user and abuser, a misogynistic cad that intentionally challenged the emerging feminist movement. In this modern version, Alfie has basically been watered down although a hint of the original remains. Jude Law puts in a wonderfully charming performance but the iconic image of Caine is always looming in the background, slightly casting Law in the shade. Although the women in this version appear to give as much as they get, the movie is ultimatley trying to show us that in this modern day world, charm can get you pretty much anywhere. The problem that this causes though is the large amount of people that get hurt along the way and once you reach the top, it can seem a pretty empty success.
Alfie is very much a 60's movie, carrying the last gasp of genuine male chauvinism before political correctness took control. Now, in the current culture of post-modernism, Alfie should have been able to hit the same type of notes in an effort to show that although we can change the nature of how we refer to each other and the politics by which we live, the nature of the beast will never change. In this sense, there has always been men (and women) like Alfie and there always will be.
Thanks for reading!
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Drama - Director: Bill Hays - Original Language: English - Classification: Parental Guidance - Starring: Denholm Elliott, Barry Foster, Nigel Stock, Garrick Hagon
Production Year: 1989 - Drama - Director: Ken Cameron - Original Language: English - Classification: 18 years and over - Starring: Nicole Kidman, Denholm Elliott, Hugo Weaving, Joy Smithers, Norman Kaye, Jerome Ehlers, Judy Morris
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
"What's it all about, Alfie?" asked the hit Burt Bacharach/Hal David title song, to which ... more
the less philosophical answer might be: an amoral young man comically seducing a succession of beautiful women in swinging-sixties London. Michael Caine was the t...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
"What's it all about, Alfie?" asked the hit Burt Bacharach/Hal David title song, to which ... more
the less philosophical answer might be: an amoral young man comically seducing a succession of beautiful women in swinging-sixties London. Michael Caine was the t...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 10 to 13 days...
Alfie is not really a bad sort. Its just that he has this overwhelming desire for the ... more
opposite sex. You might say that 'birds' are irresistable to him, sort of second nature.With Michael Caine in the title role, Alfie is a ribald and wild comedy, fille...
Michael Caine stars as Alfie a Cockney Casanova in this outstanding example of 1960s ... more
British filmmaking. Alfie is a good-looking charmer who finds that the Swinging Sixties are a great time to be around in. He's always able to sweet-talk women into...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Jude Law is fantastic as the loveable rogue. A great cast and excellent screenplay, fantastic soundtrack Disadvantages: A little slow in places but more than made up for by everything else
Andy.mack 28.02.2005 ·
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Alfie (DVD)
![Alfie [DVD] [1965]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78549467.jpg "Alfie [DVD] [1965]")
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