Alfie (Special Collector's Edition)
by Charles Shyer
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Jane Krakowski, Jude Law, Renée Taylor, Sienna Miller, Susan SarandonDirector: Charles Shyer
Brand: LAW,JUDE
Producer: Charles Shyer
Writer: Charles Shyer
Producer: Diana Phillips
Producer: Elaine Pope
Writer: Elaine Pope
Producer: Sean Daniel
Writer: Bill Naughton
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 5.1
Format: Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Special Edition, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 103 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2005-03-15
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Paramount
Product features:
- Condition: New
- Format: DVD
- Collector's Edition; Color; Dolby; DVD; Special Edition; Widescreen; NTSC
Movie Reviews of Alfie (Special Collector's Edition)
Movie Review: LOVE IS WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.
Summary: 5 Stars
I haven't seen the original ALFIE since I was a kid, and so I won't compare this to the original. The only reason I rented this is because I dig Jude Law. He gave some great performances in THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY,the underrated sci fi art film A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, THE ROAD TO PERDITION, and COLD MOUNTAIN. In ALFIE Jude Law is damn near perfect. He deserved a Best Actor nomination for this film. "F" Chris Rock. What a phenomenal actor this guy is.
I can understand why there are bad reviews for this movie. It's not your typical lowbrow Hollywood comedy. After the first hour and especially at the end, I came to realize this for what it was: a deeply emotional art film. That's right, AN ART FILM. (See the definition below.) It's such a bad word to the general movie going population. Most people don't like art films. Especially Americans. Which is why a lot of people hated this and another recent art film, LOST IN TRANSLATION. Most people just want to be entertained. Me, I love the art of film and I like to be moved. I was very moved by ALFIE and it's one of the very best films of 2004.
WARNING: THERE'S A MAJOR SPOILER HERE FOR THOSE WHO DIDN'T GET IT. At the beginning Alfie talks to the camera laying down the rules for the single carefree swinger as he moves from one female conquest to another. Very funny stuff. When Alfie discovers a lump on his genitals turns out to be benign, he starts to reevaluate his life. But not enough has changed about Alfie until he realizes he is losing friends and women. Towards the end of the film I wanted Alfie to find the girl of his dreams because he's charming and he's beginning to change. BY THE VERY END OF THIS FILM, after losing everyone, Alfie meets a girl that he had stopped calling. The audience's expectation is that he'll get this girl back and live happily ever after. Instead, she rejects him. As she's walking away, Alfie stops her and apologizes. After she's gone, Alfie turns to the camera and makes a speech about never reciprocating the things all the women in his life have given him. Then he pontificates about having everything he needs except "piece of mind". Alfie pauses, then says, "What's it all about?," and walks off into the night. If you pay attention, Alfie should have replaced that one simple phrase "piece of mind" with "love." Alfie is learning, but he's not quite there yet. Getting the girl in the end would have been the easy way out of this film and a typical Hollywood schlock ending. I can just see the Studio heads arguing that the ending is unsatisfying to audiences. (Later I discovered the filmmakers did have a problem selling the ending.) I'm so glad this film ended the way it did. Against my expectations. BRILLIANT WRITING. This kind of SMART moviemaking restores my faith in the Hollywood system. I figured most of the movie going public was smarter, until reading some of the negative reviews, mostly from people who said, "I don't get it. 'What's it all about?'" The people who didn't get it are just like Alfie. IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE. And paying the consequences for your actions. What's life without love? YOU CAN'T GET AND RECEIVE LOVE WITHOUT GIVING IT IN RETURN. Alfie almost spells it out for himself and the audience. But the filmmakers require you to make that one small leap that Alfie can't quite make for himself. I got the feeling that eventually Alfie would learn this and find love. WHAT A WONDERFUL FILM. (I guess I have to provide a definition for the smart reviewer above who says this is NOT an ART FILM. Unless you care, skip the next paragraph.)
AMBIGUITY IN AN ART FILM- Because art films do not always have to explain themselves, they will often have episodic plots or wandering episodes, where a character might wander off, encounter something, do something, or say something for no clear reason, and no definite explanation will ever be provided in the film. Instead, things remain ambiguous to the very end. This presents a challenge to most viewers who are accustomed to the classical style, because loose ends are not all tied up in the final scene of the art film, as opposed to classical Hollywood films which have strong closure. Art film is less about pure escapist entertainment compared with the classical system, also adding to the challenge for the viewer. THIS FILM IS NOT A PURE EXAMPLE OF THE GENRE. But the ending qualifies it as such by these terms.
Also includes a great soundtrack by Mick Jagger and Dave Stewart and some of the most beautiful photography I've ever seen of New York City.
IF YOU LOVE MEANINGFUL COMEDIES ABOUT UNUSUAL PEOPLE, (Woody Allen comes to mind,) YOU'RE GONNA LOVE ALFIE.
ENJOY.
Summary of Alfie (Special Collector's Edition)
In this remake of the 1966 classic, Jude Law stars as Alfie, the quintessential Don Juan who is rather caught up in himself. Using his charm and a great smile, Alfie searches for beautiful women who will give him what he wants. Once they become too attached, he breaks their heart. This ideal bachelor lifestyle ends up unraveling and Alfie must learn to admit defeat and change his ways.Jude Law's Alfie, much like Michael Caine's Alfie in the 1966 original, is what you'd call an unrepentant womanizer. He beds 'em but never weds 'em, and New York provides ample opportunity to continue the process--until reality slaps him in the face. Because Jude Law is, well, Jude Law, you can see why he gets away with it as long as he does, and the actor also pulls off the usually awkward trick of narrating directly to the camera. Neither his Alfie, however, nor director Charles Shyer's remake emerges completely without scratches. Law has a Chesire Cat carnality, but he emanates too much intellect to buy him as the relatively dim bulb he's supposed to be. The film, meanwhile, is a bit soft around the edges; the whole thing would have more resonance if it wasn't quite so intent on watching the unrepentant repent. Regardless, it's a surprisingly thoughtful diversion, and there's fine work from Marisa Tomei, Nia Long, and Susan Sarandon as the women who understandably make Alfie reconsider his ways.--Steve Wiecking
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