There's never been any doubt the camera loves Jude Law. In "Alfie," Law breaks the barrier between fantasy and reality by directly addressing the camera, telling the audience how he feels, and what's going on in his mind. This is the same technique used in the original film, and really allows moviegoers the opportunity to get inside Alfie's mind.
"By having Alfie speak to the audience, he's able to offer insight into what he's really thinking...this is the first of many steps he will take on his bumpy journey to discover what's truly in his heart," explains director Charles Shyer.
JUDE LAW Q&A:
On the Challenge of Portraying Alfie:
His duplicitous behavior is perhaps not so upfront. He juggles them and doesn't let them know where they stand. It is a challenge to rise to that everyday and believe that you have that kind of capacity, which Alfie has, and believes he has. He's absolutely certain, confident, and an expert in his opinion at how to pour women what they want, what they need, and how to get what you want.
On Alfie's Playfulness:
Playfulness is the word to describe him. He’s playful with women, and therefore it is not threatening. He comes to them with almost a fair deal. “You know what you want, I know what I want, let's enjoy it.”
On the Women in the Film:
This man has a particular way of approaching women, a particular way of treating women. Some of them you do meet, some of them you don't meet. You're introduced to them through his eyes and his opinions of them, and what he gives and gets from them. To me, it's like being a host at a cocktail party and having different guests arrive at different hours and having to entertain more, all coming with different approaches and different personalities and different needs and wants.
On Director Charles Shyer:
He has incredible flair for [the] visual. He has an incredible understanding of comedy and he also has a desire and a capacity for investigating drama, in particular emotional drama, drama relating to relationships and couples, and finding the humor in that.
On the Film as a Morality Tale:
I think in his heart, it's a morality tale, an investigation and analysis of relationships. I think there is something revealing and eye-opening for both sexes on the film. There is deceit on both sides, there is intimate connection on both sides, and there is heartbreak on both sides. The humor that Charles has instilled in it makes it infectious and fun, but there is tragedy and drama to it.
Q&A courtesy of Paramount Pictures
