Irrésistible Alfie

The original 'Alfie,' released in 1966, was considered a revelation for its frank and somewhat dark portrait of the life of a cockney rake, and can now be seen as somewhat prophetic, as it predated (and in some ways helped to introduce) the era of 'swinging London' and the sexual revolution. The 2004 'Alfie' seems to exist for no other purpose than to dress Jude Law up in a hip wardrobe and allow him to wink, smirk, and sigh endlessly at the camera as he sleeps his way through a series of likable women he doesn't deserve. There isn't much of a narrative structure here, and while Law is an engaging screen presence, Alfie is a totally unsympathetic lout who deserves his eventual comeuppance.

It's too bad that Bill Naughton wasn't able to update his original story more effectively, because the film is gorgeous to look at. Despite a few unnecessary bits of cleverness (billboards with odd, art-nouveau messages like 'desire' and 'wish', a lot of mod-ish split screen sequences with still photography, etc.), the cinematography is superb, Law looks dashing in his GQ hipster wardrobe, and the ladies--Susan Sarandon, Jane Krakowski, Nia Long, Marisa Tomei, and newcomer Sienna Miller (whom Law apparently dumped his wife for during filming)--are ravishing. The soundtrack is also superb, made up mostly of new tunes by Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart (of Eurythmics fame).

The biggest problem here is that times have changed since the original Alfie: sexual and gender politics don't allow for a protagonist who bed-hops and deceives women with impunity to be cast as heroic or even remotely sympathetic. In the end, the film seems hollow, like a nearly two-hour long visual fashion spread (interestingly, 'Vanity Fair' editor Graydon Carter has a cameo in the film). Beautiful to look at, but ultimately it's just pretty trash.

... as I haven't (FAR too young when it originally came out!), and can judge the movie without preconceptions, it's actually quite, quite good. From others' comments, I believe this should be called a reconception rather than a remake - and face it, if they followed the original, time-bound character/plot, it really WOULDN'T work today - so there is no sense in decrying that this isn't slavish to the Caine version. On its own terms, the movie is very stylish, with excellent cinematography, directing and editing, and the acting is top-notch across the board [For Broadway aficionados, look for Tony winners Jefferson (I Am My Own Wife) Mays as the Doctor and Hairspray's Dick Latessa as Joe].

Law is disarmingly charming as Alfie, and that goes a long way in selling the character, and making his attitude towards women somewhat tolerable. Of the women, Sarandon {looking incredible for 58! ... and delivering her final coup de grace with devilish elan], Long, Krakowski and especially (surprisingly?) Law's current squeeze Miller all make strong impressions. Tomei is OK, but is really neither attractive or special enough to justify Law's interest in her [and his fixation on her young son is a little creepy/unbelievable for such a womanizer]. The substitution of the interracial dalliance with Long for the abortion is a stroke of genius, as it will probably have the same 'shocking' effect for some in the audience. Yes, the direct address is a little jarring at times, but is necessary and DOES follow the original.

On the minus side, the Mick Jagger/Dave Stewart music DOESN'T work, but Joss Stone's remake of the title song is effective. If you can forget, or better yet, haven't seen the original to compare this version to, I think you will find it a very entertaining, relevant movie (compared to most Hollywood remake dreck). I wouldn't even be surprised to find this garnering quite a few Oscar noms (given this year's weak field) come the end of the year... Give it a chance.

What's it all about? (opening line from the original-movie 1966)

"Alfie" is a remake of the 1966 British film that made an international star of Michael Caine. It takes a story very much associated with a particular time and place -- London in the swinging '60s -- and successfully transplants it to modern-day New York City. The cockney lothario played by Caine has been turned into a working-class British émigré played by Jude Law, who makes Alfie a bit less cockney and a bit more self-aware.

Alfie's a smooth talking Londoner in New York who does his very best to avoid succumbing to the dreaded 'c' word commitment. Along the way, we're introduced to some of his ladies on the go – Dorie, Julie, Liz and Nikki, to name but a few.

Like the earlier "Alfie," it's the story of a sexually promiscuous man. Alfie (Law), a chauffeur, lives in a small Manhattan apartment and dedicates his life to seducing women. Talking directly into the camera, and preening with a self-satisfaction so complete as to seem a form of innocence, he expounds on clothes, the proper application of cologne and the various rules he employs in his libidinous pursuits. His goal, it seems, is to have sex with as many women as possible but to get close to none of them.

Each one starts off as a fling, but somehow manages to influence Alfie's life. He slowly starts to realize that he is actually alone and that there is more to life than what he has done so far.

Like the earlier "Alfie," the new version could be called a cautionary tale, about a way of life that leads to the existential confusion embodied in the famous catchphrase, "What's it all about?"

Anyone we know in it? Jude Law is fresh and funny as Alfie, with just the right amount of smug attitude. The stunning Sienna Miller is the beautiful but 'damaged' Nikki, and Susan Sarandon sizzles as the sexy older woman, Liz. There's also Marisa Tomei (Julie), Nia Long (Lonette) and Omar Epps plays Alfie's best friend, Marlon.

Would I recommend it? Definitely. Although remakes do not usually come through smelling of roses, this one does. It's fresh, colourful and funny. Jude Law is magnificent, introducing us to a slightly warmer side of Alfie than Michael Caine.

Why turn "Alfie" into a chick flick?

Maybe for those who mis-remembered the bright, scabrous, creative original. I'm finding that most reviewers are remembering it incorrectly, whereas I saw it for the first time the weekend before I saw this too-pretty make-over.

Most reviewers remember it as black-and-white, which it wasn't.

Most remember it as reflective of the Swinging '60's of London, but the mise en scene was London at the cusp, as attitudes were just starting to change, so characters were flopping in moral confusion.

Most remember the women as pre-liberation, but their passivity was more complicated; Alfie had an unerring ability to hone in on women with horrificallly low self-esteem, regardless of their marital or economic status.

Michael Caine is such an established actor now, none remember that he was not a conventionally handsome lead to be conquering all these women, let alone that he was a cocky Cockney like the Angry Young Man of the period kitchen sink British dramas.

Few remember just how heartless he was - calling all his conquests "it".

None seem to remember how vividly babies and abortion figure into the plot, a la "Vera Drake."

The new version is confused about all these elements.

The cinematography is beautiful, but has to cover up for the fact that while it supposedly takes place in New York City, it was actually filmed in Manchester, England so is missing atmosphere that's so critical to the same ground that's trod in "Sex and the City;" frequent background mattes of the Brooklyn Bridge are weak atmosphere-builders . And this is also some sort of retro NYC that allows smoking in bars and doesn't require helmets on mopeds, which is also a retro means of individual transport.

The film probably takes place in the '00's - but the flashy split screens and the women's make-up and styles are retro-'60's. "Keen Eddie"'s Sienna Miller is made up as a duplicate of the original's Jane Asher. Marisa Tomei even has her hair in a flip with a wide head band and Nia Long is made up like "Cleopatra Jones" from the early '70's.

At least one time we do get a glimpse of a condom package, but that's only obvious now because films today show them, not that they weren't used in the '60's; it does take place in post Roe v. Wade NYC.

The women's personality upgrades are inconsistently effective and there's no drama to how the incredibly beautiful, posh-sounding Jude Law captures them.

Susan Sarandon's self-assured, independent entrepreneur is a sexy, believable update of Shelley Winters' rich widow, making her closing dig at Alfie as a gigolo even more devastating.

Miller's character is now trendily manic depressive, or some such chemically-dependent disorder, rather than just an insecure runaway, which weakens Alfie's hold on her; that character's passive aggressive manipulation of him and how she bypasses him to straighten out her life are missing completely, so we lose some insight into both his cruelty and comeuppance.

Long's character's crisis is weakened from the original's, as her pregnancy conflates two different affairs, with the emphasis instead put on male friendship betrayal, the friend that this "Alfie" claims in passing calls his women "it".

"Alfie"'s health scare had to be updated from TB, and the cancer testing is done for laughs; the lack of mention of Viagra is odd if it is in fact taking place now. Here the older male confidante is stuck in deus ex machina, rather than in plot context.

While the original stands up 35 years later as a mordant and brilliant, matter of fact presentation of "moral lapses," the mild update is considerably weakened and Hollywoodized as respectable company, such that the finale doesn't even segue smoothly into the first musical line of "What's it all about?"

The soundtrack selections are otherwise excellent, but as confusingly retro as the rest of the atmosphere, with neo-soul teen Joss Stone singing and Mick Jagger collaborating with Dave Stewart on originals that sound old.

Bravo! A remake that tops the original! I loved this movie. Kudos to Charles Shyer, Jude Law, and screenwriter Elaine Pope for making this awesome movie! Sure, I wish Michael Caine could have played the role of Joe and Shirley Winters had played Alfie's neighbor, but other than that I totally dug the film.

Oh! And too bad the Rolling Stones didn't do the music. Sure, Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart did a great job, but if the Stones had done the music? Man! That woulda been ultra awesome! But yeah, this is a great story of a pretty boy Englishman ladies man and his trials and tribulations in modern day Manhattan! Great new setting for the remake! I think Alfie should have driven a motorcycle. A Rune. Other than his Vespa. I think the Vespa worked. But it wasn't ballsy enough I think. Still, it worked for the retro 60's vibe they were going for.

The rest of the cast is perfect. Nia Long and Omar Epps are perfectly cast. And Jude Law? Whoa, this is one of his best performances. And Alfie's words about F.B.B. -- face, boobs, bum! And how those things are what matter most to men. Too true.

And Jane Krakowski was great in her role. The scene where she is in the limo. It had a kind of S&M feel to it with her hands in those straps. And man, her legs! Awesome! She is smokin' hot! You see just a bit of her naked bum in a shot where she walks off to meet her husband Phil the Pill after saying bye to Alfie. Hmmmmmmmm. Hot stuff.

This is more of a guy flick than a chick flick. Hell, a story about a guy getting women left and right? Now that's a dick flick! HA! I liked lots of little details about this film. Alfie's relationship with Julie and the scene where she makes him a late night dinner of chili and French bread. Yum! And Alfie selecting his wardrobe of Gucci and pink shirt at the start of the film. I could never wear that color but it works in this flick! And the ending. Man! Heartbreaking, tragic and magic! A guy who is doomed. But maybe there is some hope for him. Maybe. And! This is probably the old Charles Shyer directed film I've ever loved.

Old habits die hard. As does the memory of this great movie.