Alice Movie (1990)

Alice Movie (1990) is one of Woody Allen’s most underrated films but it deserves more credit that it gets. It has all the hallmarks of the director’s best work - cinema magic, great locations and an excellent cast.

The story: Alice Tate seems to have it all - a successful stockbroker husband who she’s been married to for 16 years, two beautiful children and a fabulous Manhattan apartment. She spends her days shopping, going to the beauty salon and organizing dinner parties but she’s bored and wants to live a more meaningful life. While collecting her children from school she sees divorced jazz musician Joe Ruffalo and is smitten with him. Due to ongoing back pain she consults Chinatown acupuncturist Dr. Yang who advises her that her problems are not back related but psychological. Dr. Yang’s herbal treatments release Alice from all inhibitions and help her to find what she really wants in life.

Pros:

• Mia Farrow’s stylish performance
• The script has lots of U-turns
• Simple but captivating plot
• The song Limehouse Blues suits the movie (Allen would use it again in Sweet and Lowdown)
• The burning herbs in a teacup scene
• Alec Baldwin’s charismatic Eddie
• “You have a nice personality and you know sweaters”
• The scenes of New York’s bustling Chinatown
• Costume designer Jeffrey Kurland’s fantastic red outfit for Alice making her one of cinema’s most memorable looking characters
• Cinematographer Carlo Di Palma’s beautiful depiction of New York

Cons:

• The wonderful Times Square and flight over Manhattan scenes could’ve been longer
• Feels a tad underdeveloped
• The movie’s message may be overly simple
• Keye Luke’s (Doctor Yang) last film role
• Allen doesn’t appear in the movie
• It wasn’t a hit at the box office
• No soundtrack released for the film

Alice is a fairly lightweight piece that’s less known than Woody Allen’s other movies but that’s not to say it isn’t any good. The story explores the question of rich folks having material wealth but lacking real substance in their lives.

It stars Mia Farrow as the neurotic and naive Alice who finds herself stuck in a rut, she’s married to a wealthy man but she feels very unfulfilled. Farrow plays the Allen-esque role brilliantly and it’s a role she sinks her teeth into. She’s onscreen in every scene and it’s one of her best performances in an Allen film. The journey of her character is really interesting, even though she’s a pampered consumerist she’s entertaining to watch.

There’s a large talented supporting cast and even though they have small roles, Alec Baldwin as Alice’s old boyfriend and Cybill Shepherd who plays high-flying executive Nancy are especially colorful. Also, Julie Kavner’s brief appearance is very funny.

The cleverly written script has some fine one-liners and is full of funny commentary on marriage and life.

Overall, Woody Allen fans will love this movie, it’s not his best but it still has a lot going for it.

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