ALEC BALDWIN JUDY DAVIS WILLIAM HURT
MIA FARROW JOE MANTEGNA and KIM CHAN
star in
ALICE
VHS - PAL - Ex-Rental - Professionally Cleaned - PG-rated - Colour - 1990-release - 106-minutes - Original VHS release in Australia - Cardboard box - NO SLEEVE
Alice Tate, married for 16 years and the mother of two, finds herself falling for handsome sax player Joe.
Stricken with a backache, she consults Dr. Yang, an Asian herbalist who realizes that her problems are not related to her back, but in her mind and heart.
Dr. Yang's magical herbs give Alice wondrous powers that take her out of her well-established rut.
This was the first Woody Allen film I got to see in the theaters and - since it has such strong fantasy elements - it was truly a magical experience.
Compared to a film like "Crimes and Misdemeanours" it's a bit of a lightweight, but taken on its own terms "Alice" is an enjoyable portrait of a woman trying to find herself and her spiritual center.
And there are plenty of funny moments along the way, which I wouldn't dare spoil for you. All I'll say is watch for Bob Balaban (the dead guy in "Deconstructing Harry") in the party scene late in the film.
This film also marked the first time Allen worked with the amazing Judy Davis, who would make more of an impression in "Husbands and Wives" two years later.