AhNah Kendrick stars in this intensely self-aware protagonist, about a young woman trapped in a forced and abusive relationship, from writer Alana Francis and first-time feature director Mary Nye, in this gaslight-style suspense drama. play. There are some last-minute moments and interesting subtle changes in tone, but the story does spend its time on a contrived subplot about a missing girl.
Alice (Kendrick) has a toxic relationship with Simon (Charlie Carrick), an arrogant and controlling man with uncertain careers as an artist who always needs reassurance and has a crush on Alice. It constantly tracks your movements. How glassy Alice’s smile is when she’s allowed to spend a rare night at a bar with her two best friends, Tess (Kanyetio Horn) and Sophie (Unmi Mosaku), is a strain. or you can see how she flinches with each pin. she from her phone. She is no longer the vivacious friend Tess and Sophie once knew and loved. She seems to have a problem with her food and her hair is thin.
From Francis’ script, we learn that her friend Tess is also an artist (though not as successful as the obnoxious and pompous Simon). We also get to see her nauseating sarcasm that Alice may have met Simon in Tess’ circle and how he coldly takes her away. from them. Strongly aware that Simon doesn’t like it, Alice accepts the invitation to go on vacation with Tess and Sophie, but tells him it’s a business trip she can’t get out of. How long will you be deceived?
Kendrick can create an arrhythmia of tension and fear in front of the screen. This is a person who is gradually deprived of emotional oxygen. But sometimes the script gets loose. Others don’t quite allow Alice’s relationship with her friends, and Tess’s relationship with Sophie, to be fully three-dimensional. Well, it’s a very strong performance from Kendrick, who disturbingly conveys the small and not-so-small symptoms of emotional abuse.
Alice, Darling opens in theaters in the US and UK on January 20th, with an Australian release date to be determined.
