Alice, Darling Movie Review Starring Anna Kendrick Opens In Theaters January 20, 2023(Lionsgate)(Elevation Pictures)

Alice(Anna Kendrick)is planning a getaway with her two best friends, Tess & Sophie for a birthday celebration, yet she declines to tell her boyfriend, Simon. She tells him that it's a business getaway and when they go to get coffee one morning, she waits outside we see her quietly talking that this was a last-minute thing, then tells him as they head back home.

Her guilt is overwhelming her and she is often pulling out her hair from the stress of what she is putting herself through, but for good reason her boyfriend Simon is very controlling and has her in a mess of emotions.

I can't remember the last time I had so much empathy for a character on screen and Anna Kendrick's performance is what makes this more than an abused woman movie. The scenes of her almost hyperventilating because of everything really amplify the emotions.

She finds it hard to enjoy herself and even when they go out for a night of drinks to celebrate, she still finds it hard to enjoy herself. The movie really picks up on what happens to the mind when someone is abused, the small things like one doubts themselves, I just found this to be so much more than what the film possibly set out to do.

There are scenes where you could cut the air with a knife, this is a great film to start the New Year off with, I am often not a fan of this type of film, but this one even threw me for a loop at the ending.

Everyone is solid here, her best friends Tess(Kaniehtiio “Tiio” Horn-right) & Sophie(Wunmi Mosaku, left) are just as good and very supportive. They are the kind of friends that someone like Alice needs in their lives, but they also question her loyalty to Simon(Charlie Carrick) as he's quite abusive to her and they are quite understandably upset when he shows up for their women-only away retreat.

The ending caught me totally off guard, when it was going one way it literally went a totally different direction and I like when a movie can do that.

Alice, Darling will start in theaters in the United States on January 20th released by Lionsgate, and in Canada on February 3 from Elevation Pictures & Liongate.