MovieChat Forums > Alfie (2004) Discussion > Don't be so hard on him

Don't be so hard on him

posted 17 years ago by ImoB84
6 replies | jump to latest

I mean come on, apart from the single mom the rest of the birds knew what's gonna happen, the married blonde in the back of the limo, his best mate's girl, and with Niki it just didn't work...It takes two to dance...The truth is and you can't deny it, we hurt each other, you hurt a guy/girl because you are looking for the ultimate prize and you've been hurt for the same reason...Alfie is just running through life as the rest of us - with ups and downs and mistakes...

Jim Morrison: Some of the worst mistakes of my life have been haircuts

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Starchie28 17 years ago

Unfortunately, the movie plays up all of these situations as though Alfie is the worst person in the world, even though many young people go through periods of selfishness as they grow older. What the movie fails to do is give us any reason to show that Alfie should change. Fact is, a guy like Alfie would always find some other woman to hook up with, and not learn a thing from past mistakes. Unfortunately, the producers of this film couldn't come up with anything disturbing enough to teach him a lesson, so instead they present this surprise pregnancy angle that is completely inane. What should Alfie learn from that? If a woman says she is getting an abortion, make sure you go to the clinic with her to confirm it?

[–] PotassiumMan 16 years ago

It's that polished accent. I wish I could charm the bejesus out of people just by the sound of my voice. People would forgive me right and left.

If I ever have to make a weak insurance claim, I might show up in person and try a fake British accent. Who knows? It could work.

People are not rational. They don't act rationally. And, how people forgive and forget is no exception.

[–] elysium22 16 years ago

Considering that Alfie never mentions his family (besides a quote from his father and an aunt at one point), and says he's never had a good Christmas, it seems to me that the Alfie at the beginning of the movie doesn't think he's doing anything wrong. I get the impression that to him, people betraying and abandoning each other is a normal thing, keeping people away emotionally is a normal thing. He seems to think that his way is normal and women wanting the attachment is unusual or just a weakness of emotion. I think he figures that any woman he commits to is just going to abandon him sooner or later, so why bother? Then when he finally does care about someone enough to put his trust in her and commit, she betrays him. And then he finally realizes, through that pain, what he's done.

Think about it: if no one has ever struck you, can you truly realize why it's wrong? Even if you've been taught well, and know the philosophy of why it's wrong, you can still disbelieve it...until you find out how much it actually hurts.

http://www.myspace.com/elysium22

[–] sherylheartjude 16 years ago

elysium, he does mention his mom...well, indirectly...

Alfie: I've never made my own bed.
Lonette: What kind of mom did you have?
Alfie: Good question.

So slide over here and give me a moment...

[–] Devans00 15 years ago

I disagree. I think the sum of the whole movie was that Alfie was too old to continue acting as he had been. After all, he had impotence/ED problems and the Susan Sarandon character was done with him because he was too old. Since Alfie now had a baby, he woke up to the fact women have feelings and life was passing him by. He was thinking back on the Marisa Tomei character and son, wondering what could have been. Plus I think he told his old friend on the beach he wanted to do better.

To me, these are reasons Alfie thought he should change going forward.

I'm not saying he's a bad guy, just very self absorbed, immature and made a lot of mistakes.

No two persons ever watch the same movie.