A glossy remake with a charismatic lead, but the film is mostly a thin, self-satisfied monologue about a shallow womanizer. The style and star power can’t fully overcome the repetitive structure and dated gender politics.
12% ★☆☆☆☆ (80,196)
Alfie
Where to watch: Buy
Movie · Comedy · Drama · R
2004 · 1h 46m · ★ 12% (80.2K)
Meet a man who never met a woman he didn't love.
Director: Charles Shyer
Starring: Jude Law, Marisa Tomei, Omar Epps
Overview
A tale of a philosophical womanizer who is forced to question his seemingly carefree existence.
Director
Charles Shyer
Production
Patalex Productions, Paramount Pictures, Patalex V Productions Limited
Cast
Jude Law, Marisa Tomei, Omar Epps, Jane Krakowski, Renée Taylor, Jeff Harding, Sienna Miller, Nia Long, Susan Sarandon, Kevin Rahm, Max Morris, Gedde Watanabe, Tara Summers, Sam Vincenti, Jo Yang, Claudette Mink, Katherine LaNasa, Anouska De Georgiou, Anastasia Griffith, Jefferson Mays
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy remake with a charismatic lead, but the film is mostly a thin, self-satisfied monologue about a shallow womanizer. The style and star power can’t fully overcome the repetitive structure and dated gender politics.
Best for
Jude Law fans
Viewers curious about early-2000s studio remakes of 1960s swingers comedies
People in the mood for a light, surface-level New York romance-drama
Skip if
You want a sharp or genuinely insightful character study
You’re sensitive to sexist or outdated relationship dynamics
You prefer comedies with stronger plotting and ensemble energy
Overview
Alfie is built almost entirely around charm: the camera loves Jude Law, and the movie knows it. That’s both its selling point and its limitation. The fourth-wall confessions, the New York gloss, and the breezy soundtrack aim for seductive wit, but the film rarely digs beneath the pose of its title character.
Worth noting
What’s left is a remake that feels more like a prolonged mood than a fully developed story. It has moments of easy watchability, especially when it leans into vanity and romantic fallout, but the script keeps circling the same lesson without much bite. The result is less provocative than it wants to be.
Bottom line
For viewers who enjoy polished early-2000s studio romance with a handsome antihero, it can pass the time. For anyone hoping for a smarter satire of male entitlement or a more emotionally grounded drama, it’s likely to feel empty and dated.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Jenna Ipcar (2★) · 403 likes
Lacks anything compelling besides Jude Law's face
manuela ventura (2.5★) · 275 likes
unfortunately i can't rate this any lower because jude law is too fucking hot
sindhu (1.5★) · 205 likes
there's a scene where two men refer to a urinal using "she" pronouns and i think that's all you need to know about this sexist mess of a movie