A Review by Phil Calabro
2004, Paramount Pictures, Dir. Charles Shyer – Starring Jude Law, Marisa Tomei, Sienna Miller, Susan Sarandon, Nia Long, Omar Epps, Dick Latessa, Jane Krakowski, Gedde Watanabe, Julienne Davis, Jo Yang
Whether or not I liked the former film, I continuously question the reasons some movies are remade. Some directors want to remake films to showcase popular actors, others want to seriously bask in the royalty of said film. But the new 'Alfie' just doesn't pack the same wallop that the original 1966 version held*. Although this remake is occasionally good, it concerns itself more with keeping intact the same amount of controversy of the original without focusing on the underlying message. The audience will feel sympathy for our chauvanistic yet lovable protagonist Alfie, but won't realize the true conflicts between his sexual feelings and his conscience until the very end. 'Alfie' is a rather thoughtful perspective on relationships, priorities, and love in general - all tied together by a stellar performance by this year's brightest star, Jude Law.
In New York City, Alfie Elkins (Law) is a young bachelor who loves women, wine, and is a gigantic cheapskate. He relies on his Vespa solely for transportation, works as a chauffeur on his day job, sleeps with several women in a month, and can never stay with one woman for a long amount of time. The film is narrated entirely by Alfie, who breaks the silence every now and then to give his honest commentary about the people he works with and the women he meets. A few of the dilemmas he has to face: his best friend and business partner Marlon (Epps) has broken up with his girlfriend (Long), so Alfie tries to help him by wooing her, but ends up impregnating her and having to procure an abortion. Also, he has an unusual tryst with a married woman (Tomei) who he truly has feelings for because he feels like a father figure, he develops an acute case of erectile dysfunction, and falls in love at first site with both a young lady (Miller) and a cradle-robber Liz (Saradon) at the same time.
I think the first man to congratulate is Jude Law's agent - somehow he has won this year's best roles for such a talented actor. The audience can easily identify themselves with Law, ranging from his progressive-era sex drives to his fair and balanced commentary on his daily dilemmas. He has great chemistry with all his lovers, taking them down one by one like a lion on the hunt. He's chauvanistic, ignorant, scheming, and fancy-free - someone who is easily identified with mainstream culture, as well as the traditional descriptions of a 'swinger'. Marisa Tomei, who is a talented actress, is nothing more than a dry single mom to Alfie - she never once tries hard enough to develop her character, leaving her role in shambles at the end. Nia Long, whose role is the most groundbreaking as her character is involved in an abortion process, doesn't have much soul to her and we as an audience eventually forget about her conflicts. Also, Susan Sarandon makes a brief cameo role as an old fox out for young blood, but never commits. Her character is free-flowing, but doesn't do more than provide Alfie with a double conflict that represents nothing at the end.
As I was saying before, the original film was considered 'taboo' when first released in 1966, especially since America had not entered the progressive era and that the conservatives had the strongest voice in the media at the time. The topics of abortion and STDs were mentioned, but at least the conflicts were treated with respect and not merely for shock value - which is the way director Charles Shyer seems to want it. Shyer tries to expose the shocking dilemmas to show how common they are today, but it comes across as ignorant and brash. The most impressive feature of the film is Law's continuous narrative, and how well it blends in with the film. It seems dedicated to keeping the audience laughing every now and then, as well as the thoughtful anecdote from time to time.
'Alfie' is a fun film, but has its limits. The director spends too much time building up dilemma, and only saves the last few minutes for Alfie to reflect on it, and not resolve anything. There's no happy ending here, in fact, it seems unfinished in a way. Law is very comedic, but so many of the situations he faces with don't mix well with the sense of humor he brands. Consequently, it flops on and off between comedy and tragedy, like a half-baked copy of a Shakespeare play. Some will enjoy, some won't - but everyone will definitely enjoy Jude Law nonetheless.
*Editor's Note: I have not seen the original, I am solely basing this statement off most summaries I have read.
