Friends on vacation (Wunmi Mosaku, Kaniehtiio Horn) realize Alice (Anna Kendrick) is in danger from her abusive boyfriend (Charlie Carrick).
A desperate woman crumbling into an emotionally abusive relationship finds solace and strength in an outing with her closest friends. Alice, honey addresses major themes but fails as a complete story with significant pacing issues. Star Anna Kendrick captures the fraught paranoia, isolation and dangerous physical decline of the subjugated. She is constantly afraid of upsetting a cruel partner who controls every aspect of her life. Alice, honey loses focus with meandering subplots intended as metaphors for the protagonist’s journey. It makes a relatively short runtime feel longer and longer.
Alice nervously twirls her hair as she is driven to meet Tess (Kaniehtiio Horn) and Sophie (Wunmi Mosaku) for dinner. She hasn’t had a girls’ night in a long time. Her phone constantly beeps with messages from Simon (Charlie Carrick). She pulls out several strands at the root. The back of her neck hides red spots. Sophie’s parents gave them their lake house in the state to celebrate Tess’s birthday. Alice politely declines. Her phone continues to burst out at Simon’s beckons. Alice makes sure her hair and makeup are perfect for him before she goes home.
Alice submits to Simon’s physical needs. She then panics in the bathroom. Torn hair falling to the floor. Alice lies to Simon about having to leave for a work meeting. Sophie and Tess are very happy that she has decided to come. They notice signs of her strange behavior on the long drive.
Alice in Crisis
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Alice’s mood takes a turn for the worse as the ladies try to enjoy the idyllic escape. She is distant and withdrawn. Her phone is an electronic connection to Simon’s incessant demand for attention. Alice becomes obsessed with the disappearance of a local teenager. Her friends have finally had enough. They sense that she is in crisis and on the verge of collapse.
“Alice, darling” refers to Simon’s seemingly sweet but disparaging requests. He uses love as a knife to chisel her personality to his high standard. Alice is terrified of his disappointment. She completely surrenders to appeasing Simon’s ego. His character as Jekyll and Hyde keeps her on her toes. Resignation allows Alice to maintain servility. His harsh words and tone hit like punches. He does not physically attack her, but achieves the same goal. Alice sees and hears Simon all the time. She cannot escape his manipulation.
Alice, Darling’s admirable intentions
The missing girl subplot represents Alice’s lost semblance of herself, but her wandering in the woods is completely unrealistic. Her friends, who know from the start that something is terribly wrong, wouldn’t let her walk around with a would-be killer on the loose. They join searches for the girl, also meant to represent Alice’s stolen soul. This could have been done more artfully. It feels like padding and adds dead space instead of tension.
Alice, honey‘s admirable intentions are understood. She needs help. The holiday becomes an intervention to break an abuser’s iron grip. It should have been more concise. You understand Alice’s struggles, but the movie isn’t as interesting as it could be.
Alice, honey is a production of Babe Nation Films, Elevation Pictures, Ontario Creates and Castelletto Films. It will have a limited theatrical release on December 30 onwards Lion’s Gate.