Alice, Darling
Psychological thriller starring Anna Kendrick as a young woman trying to escape from the abusive relationship she is trapped in.
Alice is an anxious person, and no one is sure why. When she’s invited on a cottage trip to celebrate her friend’s birthday, she feels like she has to lie to her charming and successful boyfriend, Simon, telling him that it’s a very important business trip.
Her longtime friends want Alice to enjoy their time together, but she just doesn’t seem present. With Simon continuously texting her, it becomes clear that she’s being closely monitored by him and her phone turns into an overbearing conduit for emotional abuse. Once they realize what’s happening, Alice’s friends try to convince her that her relationship isn’t normal, but she continues to doubt herself, constantly modulating where she goes or what she eats, unable to disconnect from Simon, even though she knows she’s unhappy. As the weekend progresses, not only their friendship hangs in the balance, but also Alice’s safety. The women become entangled in a psychological tug-of-war with Simon, who continues his attempts at excising Alice from those closest to her.
ALICE, DARLING captures the apprehension and dread that haunt victims of domestic abuse. Nighy’s direction puts particular focus on the little details that serve as warning signs and, coupled with a meticulous performance from Kendrick, she creates a tense atmosphere that serves as a unique portrait of psychological manipulation and one young woman’s effort to overcome it. (source: www.tiff.net)