2K Replay: ALFIE

 by Adam Riske

Nominated for “Best Soundtrack” at the Critics’ Choice Awards. It lost to Ray.

• Best Scene/Moment: Jude Law and Nia Long at a bar playing pool and flirting.

• Best Song (tie): “For the Love of You” by The Isley Brothers and “Don’t Worry About It” by N.E.R.D.

• Best Merch: There’s not much to choose from (Alfie doesn’t exactly equate hot merch) so I’ll go with this “Movie Theater Poster Mylar” for $5.99. I miss when theaters used mylars. They were classy and fun just like Alfie. It would be fun to hear Jude Law say the word “mylar.”

• Director Grade: Alfie (2004) was directed by Charles Shyer, who frequently collaborated with director Nancy Meyers when the two of them were married. The first movie I saw of Shyer’s was Baby Boom. I don’t remember if I liked it, but I lived in a household where I saw any movie from the late '80s that had a baby in it. I grew up on his Father of the Bride remake from 1991 so that movie holds a special place in my heart even though it will never not be funny how much more Steve Martin’s character loves his daughter than his son. The sequel (which Shyer also directed) is okay. It’s about babies again. Shyer directed a few movies I haven’t seen, including I Love Trouble (which I might one day), The Affair of the Necklace (NOPE), and the Netflix movie The Noel Diary (I can’t see it happening). Alfie (2004) is probably my second favorite Charles Shyer movie although I think it’s his best directed. Shyer is clearly talented and good with actors even if his movies aren’t always in my wheelhouse. Overall Grade: B

• Double It with This 2004 Movie: Closer

• Year 2004 Movies to Trailer Before It: The Aviator, I Heart Huckabees, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow

• Color of Night or Alfie (2004)? Color of Night

• Mall Movie? Marginal no. The movie’s so posh that it might be too good for the mall but it’s hard to watch it and not immediately want to go to there to upgrade your wardrobe.

• Only in 2004: Jude Law appearing in as many movies as he has on-screen love interests in Alfie.

• Scene Stealer: Susan Sarandon.

• I Miss: Studio budgeted romantic dramas.

• I Don’t Miss: Constantly being “on the make” like Alfie.

• 2004 Crush: Sienna Miller.

• 2024 Crush (tie): Almost everyone.

• What I Thought in 2004: I really liked Alfie (2004) when I saw it in theaters. Being not too far removed from my Maxim subscription days, I was basically taking notes on Alfie’s advice. Not a great idea! Overall, I thought the movie was a fun, sexy, beautifully shot character study with a terrific performance by Jude Law at its center.

• What I Think in 2024: Alfie (2004) is a bit of a young man’s movie, but I did enjoy revisiting it as a sort of trip down memory lane. I think this is among Jude Law’s best performances; he’s incredibly charismatic in the title role. I also love the supporting cast including Nia Long, Marisa Tomei, Sienna Miller, Susan Sarandon, and Omar Epps. Alfie (2004) is about 66.6% as good as I remember.