Alfie (2004)

A cockney womanizer learns the hard way about the dangers of his actions.

Director:

Charles Shyer

Writers:

Bill Naughton (play), Bill Naughton (earlier screenplay),

Stars:

Jude Law, Renée Taylor, Susan Sarandon

Won 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jude Law	...	Alfie
Renée Taylor	...	Lu Schnitman (as Renee Taylor)
Jane Krakowski	...	Dorie
Jeff Harding	...	Phil
Marisa Tomei	...	Julie
Kevin Rahm	...	Terry
Max Morris	...	Max
Omar Epps	...	Marlon
Nia Long	...	Lonette
Gedde Watanabe	...	Wing
Jo Yang	...	Mrs. Wing
Tara Summers	...	Carol
Sam Vincenti	...	Felix
Katherine LaNasa	...	Uta
Claudette Mink	...	Bitter Girl

Storyline

In Manhattan, the British limousine driver Alfie is surrounded by beautiful women, most of them clients, and he lives as a Don Juan, having one night stands with all of them and without any sort of commitment. His girl-friend and single-mother Julie is quite upset with the situation and his best friends are his colleague Marlon and his girl-friend Lonette. Alfie has a brief affair with Lonette, and the consequences of his act forces Alfie to reflect and wonder about his life style.

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Plot Keywords:

best friend | sex | friend | limousine | commitment | 

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Taglines:

Meet a man who never met a woman he didn't love.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content, some language and drug use

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 November 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Untitled Alfie Remake

Filming Locations:

England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$129,464 (South Africa) (18 February 2005)

Gross:

$182,412 (South Africa) (25 February 2005)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Patalex Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tina Fey was offered the role of Dorie but turned it down. The part then went to Fey's "30 Rock" costar, Jane Krakowski.

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Goofs

Outside the cafe after meeting Julie, Alfie's scarf disappears and reappears between shots.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Alfie: You're lucky you know. I rarely allow anyone into my flat.

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Crazy Credits

The producers wish to thank residents and businesses of Northern Quarter Manchester

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Connections

Referenced in Saturday Night Live: Jude Law/Ashlee Simpson (2004)

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Soundtracks

"Alfie"
(1966)
Music by Burt Bacharach
Lyrics by Hal David
Performed by Joss Stone
Produced by David A. Stewart (as Dave Stewart) & Mick Jagger
Joss Stone performs courtesy of S-Curve Records/EMI Music North America

User Reviews

It's fresh, colourful and funny

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.