Would you recognize the signs of intimate partner abuse? Alice, Darling explores how difficult it is for both the victim and outsiders to recognize something is amiss within a romantic relationship.
After generating strong buzz at TIFF, the Canadian drama is set to play the Whistler Film Festival this weekend, making it a must-see film for any film lovers attending Canada’s coolest festival.
To the world, Alice (Anna Kendrick) has everything: a great job, a luxe Toronto apartment, close friends, and a handsome British artist boyfriend, Simon (Charlie Carrick). But behind closed doors, Anna silently suffers a cycle of never-ending emotional and psychological abuse at the hands of Simon. Viewers see that she is uneasy, leaping out of bed before Simon wakes to apply eyeliner and curl her hair. Her phone pings constantly while she’s out with her girlfriends, Sophie (Wunmi Mosaku) and Tess (Kaniehtiio Horn). When a waiter slips her his phone number, she goes to great lengths to render the slip of paper unreadable.
When Sophie invites Alice to Tess’ birthday weekend getaway at a family cottage, she makes up a lie for Simon and sets off for a week away. But so consumed and fearful, Alice is agitated to the point of physical illness. Through it all, her friends sense something is amiss but Alice steadfastly assures them all is well until an incident finally gives her friends the chance to see that all is not well.
Directed by Mary Nighy from a script by Alanna Francis, Alice, Darling dives deep into the complex issue of intimate partner abuse in a painfully realistic manner. “But he doesn’t hurt me though,” Alice tells her friends. Simon does hurt her, just not in the ways we are accustomed to seeing on screen or for the signs of physical violence we are taught to look out for. Here, Francis’ script shows us what gaslighting truly looks like in real-time as Simon attempts to berate, control, and then love bomb Alice in the span of a few minutes, wreaking havoc on her mental health and wellbeing.
While the story may feel heavy, Francis’ script has moments of levity, like a Lisa Loeb sing-a-long that marks a transformative moment for Alice. The bond of friendship the trio has feels realistic, and above all, shows that there is not just strength in numbers, but there is also hope and support.
Kendrick is better than she’s ever been as Alice. Distracted and haunted, Kendrick plays the character like an animal trapped in a cage, resigned to its fate. So consumed by her relationship and need to please Simon, Alice is in a downward spiral, brimming with palpable anxiety. Together with Horn and Mosaku, the trio light up the screen. While her co-stars aren’t given much in terms of character development, the actresses are equally compelling to watch as they deal with their own emotional fallout as they realize someone they love is a victim of abuse.
Alice, Darling screens as part of the in-person Whistler Film Festival on December 3 and December 4. Select films are available as part of the festival’s online screenings across Canada beginning on December 5.
