Appraisal: I came to this movie with little or no hope of liking it, but I must say I was quite surprised. As I expected, it is a different movie than the earlier version, and a weaker one. The thing is, the earlier movie is practically a tragedy whose main character is a profoundly detestable fellow, and the film has a strong moral message. Here, the story has been adapted to newer, morally looser times, and in consequence the film loses a little bit of focus and strength. While the old Alfie was a man of no conscience and thus a truly evil person, the new Alfie is just a normal guy that makes mistakes, pays for them, and perhaps even learns some things in the process. Women are more liberated today than they were forty years ago, and sex has become less of a moral issue than it was then; the filmmakers made the necessary changes to take all that into account. The price to pay is some trivialization of the story, but it still holds the viewer's interest due mainly to the agile narrative style.
Rating: 55
No comments:
Post a Comment