Review: Alice, Darling

From the minute this film begins, the audience is on edge. Going into Alice, Darling, you know this is about an abusive relationship. As Alice (Anna Kendrick) begins her day, you are not fully aware of the situation, only that something is wrong. As the film continues, you learn through undermining comments and gaslighting that Alice is being controlled by her boyfriend, Simon (Charlie Carrick). When Alice’s friends invite her to a girls’ weekend in a cabin, you can see the severe stress and anguish that Alice is in as she tries to work up the courage to tell her boyfriend. Instead, Alice, decides to lie and say she is needed on a work trip. But as the girls head out, Alice is glued to her phone, worrying that Simon will find out and be angry with her. Because of this, Alice’s friends notice that she’s a ghost of who she used to be. When pushed to a breaking point, the truth comes out, and Alice’s friends are at her side, hoping to save her from herself and Simon.

Every performance in this film is stunning. In fact, this may be Kendrick’s best performance to date. The story is haunting and more of a mystery than a thriller. Very few movies touch on psychological abuse. Alice, Darling doesn’t hold back in showing how traumatizing gaslighting can be, how the abuse spreads like an infection into friendships, work, and family. Alice often has outbursts and is cold to her loved ones. The film depicts how the abuser isolates someone from everything and everyone, so they become their sole purpose. It’s heartbreaking to watch.

Director Mary Nighy does a beautiful job with the pacing of the film. The intercut abusive language mixed into solemn and serene scenes are jarring and become sort of like jump scares. The side story of the search for a missing girl, whom Alice becomes obsessed with, also helps set a dark and mysterious tone. It gives the viewer another thing to focus their attention on, much like Alice is focusing her attention on the search to avoid how she’s feeling.

It depicts the power of strong friendships, even when alienating them. It also shows the strength to leave something horrible and seek help. Alice, Darling is a film to watch as we get into the heart of awards season. This is one of Kendrick’s strongest roles. The perfectly crafted script gave her much to work with, and the direction was stunning. This is a difficult film to watch, but it is an important one. Please check all trigger warnings before viewing.