65
Metascore
35 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80The GuardianBenjamin LeeThe GuardianBenjamin LeeIt’s a chilling little film, avoiding maximalism at every turn, a bold debut from Nighy (whose only real slip-up is a score that can feel dull and uninspired) and a difficult reminder of a difficult experience. The chill will linger for a while.
- 80The Hollywood ReporterLovia GyarkyeThe Hollywood ReporterLovia GyarkyeOne of the most absorbing parts of Alice, Darling is watching Alice, Sophie and Tess interact with each other throughout the weekend — to witness the frustrating moments of misunderstanding and the triumphant ones of clarity. Kendrick, Mosaku and Horn sustain a natural rapport, which makes investing in their friendship easy.
- 80VarietyDennis HarveyVarietyDennis HarveyThis is a quietly powerful drama about psychological manipulation and damage.
- 75The Film StageJared MobarakThe Film StageJared MobarakThe role of Alice is very much internal and, as such, very reliant upon putting her thoughts onscreen. That we can also see those thoughts in our own minds simply through Kendrick’s thousand-yard stares, moments of lashing out, and visibly draining anxiety is a testament to her commitment to the character and the script’s nuanced complexity to allow her to say so much without saying anything.
- 75The PlaylistMarya E. GatesThe PlaylistMarya E. GatesAnchored by Kendrick’s best performance in years and Francis’ incisive script, Alice, Darling is a visceral, deeply felt clarion call, not just for more awareness of the signs of emotional, intimate partner violence but also as a reminder to those who have experienced this abuse to allow themselves some grace.
- 75Slant MagazinePat BrownSlant MagazinePat BrownThe emotional crux of Alice Darling is less the manner in which it lays out a roadmap for an exit from an abusive relationship and more its attentiveness to the profound ramifications of such relationships for the women in them.
- 72TheWrapLena WilsonTheWrapLena WilsonWhat saves this wallflower of a drama is its focus on the women’s friendship, which Mosaku and Horn sell with aplomb.
- 70Screen DailyTim GriersonScreen DailyTim GriersonAided by Owen Pallett’s occasionally jittery score, Alice, Darling can sometimes possess the faint air of a thriller, albeit one in which the central menace is offscreen, far removed from Alice and her friends. But Kendrick, who has said she’s experienced psychological abuse in a past relationship, wrings dramas from Alice’s internal trauma.
- 60Los Angeles TimesMichael OrdoñaLos Angeles TimesMichael OrdoñaUltimately, it’s about the bonds of sisterhood and how those who know you best and love you most can help you heal, or at least start you on that path. Its vagueness serves almost as a Rorschach test. How effective it is as a drama may depend on your perspective.
- 50IndieWireRyan LattanzioIndieWireRyan LattanzioKendrick makes the case for why she belongs in more dramatic roles that allow her to shed her normally peppy usually cheery onscreen persona. We know how good she is, and we’d only love to see more.