Was anyone really clamoring for a remake of the 1966 Michael Caine classic? Even if they were, a quick look at the trailer for the upcoming remake starring Jude Law should be enough to convince any movie buff to leave well enough alone.
The trailer is polished and to the point, but to paint Law as a slick womanizer is almost too easy. The voiceover is grating, but the moments in which he turns to address the camera directly are downright painful. Whereas Caine was charming enough to overcome his character's faults while speaking to the audience in the original, Law comes off as overly smarmy and more than a little annoying.
As the plot of the original is notably dated, we can only assume that the somewhat dark series of events has been updated in one manner or another, though the trailer, perhaps wisely, manages to keep the story a secret. Character-driven previews can work if the character is compelling enough (Anothony Hopkins in the teasers for Hannibal and Red Dragon comes to mind), but Alfie, at least this version, is weak and uninteresting.
Lastly, it's hard to say who this trailer is targeting. Most men of any age will have no interest in seeing Law prance around New York despite the seemingly endless train of beautiful conquests he leaves in his wake, and woman are likely to be put off by the subject matter. Ultimately, Alfie seems to be little more than a vanity project for Law, and it's doubtful this trailer will convince anyone otherwise.
More of Tracking Trailers at scottpepper.blogspot.com.
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