‘Alice darling’ is Machiavellian within its overwhelming intelligence. It is a film that does not need explanatory scenes of violence in the ‘Men’ style to exemplify what is happening. On the contrary: by living in the world of psychology and ideas, he is able to make you believe for a while that the relationship between Alice and her boyfriend is normal, almost idyllic, before he hits you with the machete. How were her friends -or herself- going to realize what was happening if not even the viewer was able to?
Do not worry honey
Since the emergence of Me Too and the new idea of a feminist Hollywood we have recontextualized the films about partner abuse. It is no longer necessary to show the blows and beatings so that, as a wise audience, we know how to recognize a toxic situation: even masterpieces like ‘Tár’ continue to go over the margins and add layers to the problem of power, non-explicit violence, psychology and pain.
In an effort to show the different aspects of abuse, ‘Alice, darling’ focuses on a person who in his search for a new identity subtly forced he has stopped knowing who he is. And, above all, it clearly shows a reality: the victim is not aware of being a victim. If it were, she wouldn’t be there. But is that you are exaggerated And a liar. And very bad. She’s just worrying. You are only growing as a person because of him.
But ‘Alice, honey’ differs from the pamphlet it could have become thanks to two key elements: subtlety and reality. At all times, the story of its protagonist feels true because it avoids excessive drama: although we are waiting for that great scene of crying, screaming and putting the cards on the table in a definitive way so that the heroine walks towards the horizon freed from all loads, real life doesn’t work like that. And the movie He is well aware that Alice’s healing is not going to be immediate or epic.but a long road full of potholes of which we will only be able to see the beginning.
Between cookies and hangovers
I can’t rave enough about the fabulous first act of ‘Alice, darling’, centered on a relationship that feels natural at first glance and in which it is difficult to see the pieces of the puzzle that do not quite fit together (that stop to buy cookies, that sex under the shower). It is later, when the magnifying glass on the couple moves away and allows us to see the whole beyond the day to day, when we are able to identify exactly what did not fit us in these initial minutes.
This fabulous representation of psychological violence is somewhat stained because of a much more fat brush ending in which that subtlety of its beginnings is diluted and lost with a couple of sequences that contradict the tone of the tape: even though the message is positive, good intentions do not always justify certain plot decisions and dialogue that seem to be shot with a tone that is more parodic than realistic.
It’s a small rookie mistake: Mary Nighy is directing a feature film for the first time and it is possible that he has not fully controlled the force of his own history, upsetting his own plans and giving a definitive conclusion to a film that, until then, had been sailing in the sea of gazes and internal reflections. He does not get to destroy the tape or make it less impressive, yes: It’s just a misstep that tries to be epic but ends up being unconvincing.
anna darling
The tape is sustained, to a great extent, by an Anna Kendrick in the best performance of her career, amazingly different from all we’ve seen her in so far. She, with a panic attack, pulling her hair, calmly looking at the lake, talking with her eyes, makes the film manage to rise and stand out on its own as a very particular piece of cinema that not everyone will be willing to accept.
And it’s that ‘Alice, honey’ does not believe in extreme drama, violin music, the villain appearing from a low angle, the chase scene where two cars collide on the highway. In his eagerness to show a more realistic vision of the problem, we have personal realizations that take place little by little, a naturalistic way of directing, a problem in which the spectator must choose if he prefers to take part or adopt a more passive role.
Cinema has the almost ineffable ability to put a mirror in our faces and force us to recognize ourselves, with our goodness and badness. Prompting us to correct behaviors or see mistakes that we might not otherwise want to admit. ‘Alice, honey’ is the final blow against the “nice guys” who would never hurt you, they care about you, they take care of you, they tell you that your friends are not a good influence, they ask you to leave before dinner because they want to see you and they force you to go to the bathroom of the restaurant to take a picture of your boobs. Or is it that you don’t miss him?
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