Well, I watched it last night and I'm adding this one to my favourites stack. I loved this film. I already knew the big twist, but it still threw me when I forgot the woman living with him was his sister and not his wife, so the scene where Alfie kisses the picture of Robbie, I was like "WHAT?!" and then thought "wait, hang on, I knew that already!" LOL
With Albert Finney (who I adore...he's so lovely and grandfather-y) and Michael Gambon (who I also adore and who is like a cheeky uncle), and Rufus (who I adore the mostest and who is as I've said, perfection personified) you can't possibly go wrong. The casting couldn't be more perfect.
There's a light within Albie that's so charming and endearing that it's impossible not to feel for Alfie in every sense. The way he falls in love with his idea of Adele, the way he's in complete and innocent wonder of her and how he's convinced she's nothing short of an angel is beautiful (I love the scene at the zoo, especially when he skips away with her to cheer her up). Usually, in real life, an older gentleman acting that way around a much younger girl would be the creepiest thing ever, but it's impossible to think that with Alfie or Albie. His gentleness towards people, his want for things to be all right with everything and everyone and his wish for something so meaningful (while not realizing how much meaning he gives to this small world of his) only makes the story more heartbreaking as it goes on.
As a writer, I know how important the main character is to the reader (or, in this case, the audience). I like to think that every reader of mine immediately forms some sort of connection with myself (the narrator) or the main character themselves (especially if the writing is written in first-person). What the main character dreams of, the audience (if not immediately) will over time, want them to have it as much as the character wants it themselves; whether it's money, or fame, or a pair or corduroys. Most of all though, it's love. If the main character is relateable in any way, the want of the audience for them to be happy is imminent no matter what the main character's affiliations are. I found myself wanting nothing but the best for Alfie and as the story unfolded I wanted things to just get better and better for him and that he would live happily ever after. Hmmm...
Although it was heartbreaking to see, the moment when he catches Adele and John, that infatuation with the angel, the princess that was she, dies instantly before our eyes. If that's not enough, that same day he catches Robbie with his girlfriend he knows nothing about (and that we the audience knew nothing about) is almost cruel. We spend so much time with Alfie that we start thinking as him. Hoping for happiness wearing glasses with rose-coloured windows. That bit hit me hard because, although I knew Robbie was straight, I couldn't help hoping that by some insane and naieve chance that they would end up together.
Those above scenes as well as the scenes that follow: his coming out in public, his sister learning the truth and when he explains to the now homophobic b*****d of a bus director what 'a love that dares not speak its name' really is are the best scenes of the film.
I'm so used to Michael playing quirky characters and seeing him play a homophobic butcher was...well, that was quirky as well, I suppose I thought he was great, if annoying.
Roofie darling, you've done it again. Sweet, sweet Robbie. Sweet, sweet Bosie. Our own boy. You are too beautiful for words. As soon as I saw him at the beginning walking out to his bus with that thermos poking out of his bag, that was it for me. The friendship that Robbie and Alfie have is beautiful even with Robbie's annoyance at Alfie's constant use of "big words. Poetry." The way they both worked together. The way they sat together eating sandwiches (as soon as I saw it I thought of the caps that have been made from that scene!!! "If I's qwik..."
); standing in front of the burnt-out bus amusing themselves "with stories from the great river of life"; Robbie teaching him how to play snooker (I think we all must've made a collective noise of jealousy after that bit
); and finally, the end.
Now, I'll be honest and say that for a moment I believed that b*****d of a bus director when he told Alfie about what Robbie did when he found out everything. Things have gone so badly for Alfie, I don't really see how one can't believe it for a moment. Alfie has already said to his sister that "the very idea that I might want a love or to even feel special toward him...would be so repulsive to him that he wouldn't be able to get far enough away from me", pretty much decides for us. Robbie isn't there to say otherwise. Yet.
Everyone knows about Alfie now, and so the persecution continues by Carney and the director and you can see that although Alfie is hurt, he's in the process of accepting how he assumes he will be viewed; but then a lady in the drama group on the bus says he's a good man and she doesn't care, then a man from the drama group says the same, and then they all say it and throw Carney from the bus (loved that). Slowly, the wounds are starting to heal somewhat. The conversation Alfie has with Adele afterwards when she announces she's leaving for England for a new life for her and her unborn child is lovely. How he confesses to her that he's learned a hard lesson about not her, but himself is incredibly well done. Their goodbye while it is still sad, is a cleansing in disguise.
Cue Bosie, our own boy. This ending had somewhat of a similar effect on me as Dominique's ending in Illuminata. It's just as beautiful and just as striking and just as sincere, but spoken in a simpler way and means something different. "I don't care what you get up to. I like you. You're me pal." Beautiful. Perfect. Made me cry.
The reading after it was perfect. That look of happiness on Alfie's face brings it all back. He's gotten Robbie to read poetry. All is well.
And they all lived happily ever after (or so we always hope, because we're all Alfies in our own ways, aren't we?)
Zenina! Thanks, these are gorgeous pictures! 
I wanted to do some screencaps since I watched that movie but just couldn't find the time - thank you so much!
Amazing that the young Rufus still managed to look so cute even in such goofy clothes. And, a-hem, (showing my age here) that black jacket is made of what we used to call pleather. 
