Day 161 - Alfie



Day 161          Alfie [2004]
                          
Screenplay                    Elaine Pope & Charles Shyer
Based on                       ‘Alfie’ by Bill Naughton
Director                         Charles Shyer
Cinematography            Ashley Rowe
Music                            Mick Jagger, John Powell & Dave Stewart
Leads                            Jude Law, Sienna Miller, Susan Sarandon, Marisa Tomei, Omar Epps, Nia Long, Jane Krakowski, Dick Latessa
Production                     Paramount Pictures, Patalex Productions

IMDb                                 6.2/10
Rotten Tomatoes                48%

This film made me wonder why it’s so difficult to get into the film world, know what I mean? Who doesn’t love a film about a cocky misogynist? One who gets what he deserves for once too. I sound bitter don’t I. And I apologize. But I didn’t like the way this film tried to make us feel sorry for someone who was in the wrong with most of the things he did. He treated women kindly to their faces but the old cliché ‘actions speak louder than words’ couldn’t be truer. I suppose the movie itself is not misogynistic – the female figures are strong and independent, making their own decisions largely at Alfie’s expense. I wasn’t sure what the point of this movie was. We met Alfie (Law), a single, suave British man working as a limo driver, as a promiscuous young man. By the end of the film, we leave him having learned a few things, having treated his close friends and a few women badly, and yet that’s it. Did I miss something? People seem to rate the original Alfie with Michael Caine a lot better so maybe I should watch that. Despite the pointless plot the cast did their best. Jude Law was so self-assured I wanted to punch my TV every time his face was on screen so ‘fair-dos’ to him. The beautiful quartet of Tomei, Sarandon, Miller and Long taught Alfie the lessons he fully deserved. Nearly not worth a review. Caine (and Abel) over Law (and Order).

Acting                            3 / 4
Writing                           1 / 4
Cinematography             2 / 4
Music                             3 / 4
HWF rating             1.5 / 4

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