Most of Anna Kendrick's films that I have seen are rom-coms and musicals. Who knew she could perform in a psychological thriller? I guess it's a testament to her talent as an excellent actress.
The title of the film Alice, Darling piqued my interest because it's an odd one. I wondered if it was a rom-com but the bowed head of Anna Kendrick boldly filling up the film poster like a person mourning sparked the presumption that it is a mystery or a psychological thriller. And I was right.
Alice, Darling (2023) is a film on abuse in romantic relationships. In this touching, suspenseful drama, we see a young woman, Alice (played by Anna Kendrick), trapped in an emotionally abusive relationship with her partner, Simon (played by Charlie Carrick), an arrogant and controlling artist. Alice doesn't realise that her relationship is slowly sucking the life out of her because she lives to impress her man.
*[Source: YouTube](https://youtu.be/2D2ZRfqKUD4)*Simon is a perfectionist but a failing artist. His art exhibition doesn't draw the crowd he needs so he commandeers Alice's attention all through the event such that she can't spend time with her friend. Getting home, he nags about the event not being attended by the 'right people' and he's a bad artist. Somehow he finds a way to blame it on Alice.
Alice's friends, Tess and Sophia, know something is wrong with her. She is no longer the lively friend they once knew and loved. They see how glassy-eyed Alice’s smile is, how she flinches at every ping from her phone and gets easily distracted, how she pulls strands of hair winding them tightly around her index finger, avoiding sugar and counting her calories. Her friends worry thinking she has an eating disorder.
Then they make a plan to hang out at a cabin to celebrate Tess’s birthday. Alice makes up a lie and leaves with her friends. The trip gives Alice an excuse to get away from Simon. On this trip, Alice comes across a flyer about a missing young lady and the efforts made by the locals to find her. Even with the distance between the couple, Simon still haunts Alice in her sleep and her waking hours. Will she ever be free of this annoying, needy artist?
Review
I have always admired Anna Kendrick as a fine, down-to-earth actress and singer with natural charm, and part of her appeal is that she excels at playing likeable and fun characters. But her performance in Alice, Darling is a stunning departure from her usual bubbly screen presence. And somehow, they got her to sing a few lines also!
Plot The plot of this film is intense and gripping but I think the screenwriter, Alanna Francis, did an average job of it. Usually, subplots are written to flesh out a plot and they are usually connected to a fine conclusion. In this film, the disturbing part for me was the subplot about a missing young woman.
Maybe it’s to serve as a warning to Alice or a lure to escape but this subplot was never resolved. I failed to see the connection to Alice's predicament and wonder why it was included in the first place.
At one point, I wondered whether her partner, Simon, is the kidnapper hiding in plain sight. I'll say the subplot is very distracting and meaningless. Alice and Simon's toxic relationship can be fleshed out and the ending properly resolved without resorting to this subplot.
The Cast The cast of this film is mainly four: Alice, Tess, Sophia and Simon and their performance is great but not perfect. Anna Kendrick's performance is excellent. Under the director's guidance, she paints an emotional picture of someone on the brink of being consumed by a distorted perception of love but ultimately realises that the true form of it was present all along in her two friends.
Anna Kendrick communicates the actions and emotions of an emotionally abused person through a range of reactions like catatonic vacant stares, heaving waves of a panic attack on the bathroom floor, pulling out her hair and verbal denials. I'll say she did it perfectly. She was believable and her role was relatable. I love how her friends stand by her to bring her out of the traumatic relationship.
Simon is also great in his role as the gaslighting, narcissistic boyfriend/partner but he wasn't given much screen time which brings me to the visual effects. The editing and transitions of flashbacks of Simon berating Alice are untidy and uncomfortable to watch. It's done in such a way that it's difficult to know if Simon is in the room with Alice at the time or not.
Overall, Alice, Darling is not a bad film but not great either. For psychological thriller lovers, I'll recommend this film for a one-time viewing only. Anna Kendrick is a fine actress and deserves better roles than this. I understand this is a debut feature for Mary Nighy as a director and hope she gets better at it with other films.
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Other images are screenshots from the movie
