Jude Law for the girls, Sienna Miller for the boys
Disadvantages:
They sent our film to America !
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
What’s wrong with London? Don’t we have innovative architecture? Is the nightlife passé? Or is it that we English are less attractive than the Yanks? Whatever it is there certainly seems to be something making producers think that it’s time Brit flicks had a makeover-USA style.
Alfie is the story of an exuberant young man about town who lives for ‘wine and women’. His modest employment as a limo driver keeps him in Gucci suits and Prada lace ups and pays the rent on his flea-bitten apartment (it’s ok, he never sleeps there). It also provides him with a plethora of reasonable excuses for late night excursions, invaluable when being ridiculously unfaithful to ‘semi-girlfriend’ Julie (Marisa Tomei).
Michael Caine’s debut character ‘Alfie’ has been given the Jude Law treatment. Law has captured Alfie’s shallow charm perfectly and, combined with his playboy good looks, is very believable as a young man capable of attracting women who are way out of his social league.
Law’s supporting cast put in some great performances. The scenes between Alfie and Nikki, played by Law’s real life partner Sienna Miller, really sizzle with sexuality. Omar Epps was masterful in his portrayal of the betrayed best friend, and Susan Sarandon certainly took charge as the feisty older woman.
The direction merges the original 60’s film and the current Hollywood style of filmmaking. Charles Shyer has kept the defining feature of the original by incorporating Alfie’s stream of consciousness with the camera, but he has also updated the cinematography, for instance with his use of split screens to suggest Nikki’s split personality. Unfortunately Shyer hasn’t trusted his audience’s intellect enough to allow all the messages of the, oh so complex plot, to be delivered so subtly. Instead he resorts to full size billboards with single word key themes like ‘desire’ plastered across them. Whilst this adds to the overall ‘glossy’ effect, it seriously detracts from scenes like Lonette (Nia Long) appearing from the hospital.
Overall Alfie is simply a light-hearted take on an old British film. Whilst this version certainly won’t be nominated for any Oscars, and won’t win any friends amongst fans of the original, it is definitely worth a viewing. *** Alfie (04), (15), 105mins
More details
Soundtrack
Good
How does it compare to others by the same director?
Good
Value for Money
What format are you reviewing?
Evaluate this review
How helpful would this review be to someone making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Alfie [1965]
"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...
Alfie [1965]
"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...
Alfie (1966)
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 bed...
helpful
helpful
helpful![Alfie [1965]](http://picnic.ciao.com/uk/65512219.jpg)
This product has not yet been reviewed. 
