Alice

PG-13

Released Dec 25, 1990

1 hr. 46 min.

Romance

Comedy

Fantasy

List

71%

28 Reviews

Tomatometer

57%

5,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

A well-to-do Manhattan housewife, Alice Tate (Mia Farrow), finds her affections shifting from her stockbroker husband (William Hurt) of 16 years to saxophone player Joe Ruffalo (Joe Mantegna), a veritable stranger. After realizing her feelings, Tate begins to experience back pains and visits a Chinatown herbalist, Dr. Yang (Keye Luke), for a cure. Perceptive to her dilemma, Yang provides a series of magical herbal remedies to provide Tate the insight she needs to solve her problem.

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Jeff M

While not the cinematic feast of such crowning achievements as HANNAH AND HER SISTERS or CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS, this is still a tasty appetizer or maybe a delicious side dish on Allen's movie menu, and it remains one of his more underrated and overlooked films. It is also possibly the best vehicle he ever provided for one-time muse Farrow, who is pretty much in every scene. She is slyly funny in a rather subtle performance, and this is a reminder that she was the perfect actor to recite Allen's dialogue. As always, Woody fills the movie with a brilliant array of actors, many of whom only have a brief scene or two. There is no standout supporting performance like in most of his films, but I'd like to highlight Keye Luke as the doctor who supplies Alice with the mystical herbs that provide a great deal of laughs, particuarly toward the end of the film at a dinner party. The titular character's name is surely not coincidental as similarities to ALICE IN WONDERLAND abound throughout. If you're not a Woody Allen fan, this movie most likely won't convert you; however, if you appreciate his films as much as I do, you'll find much to enjoy.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/11/24

Full Review

ross w

I keep coming back to this movie for some reason. Have watched it three or four times and still like it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

andrea m

A nice little movie, not one of the best efforts of Allen but still pleasant. His typical humor is in here, as well as a bit of unexpected supernatural moments and smart dialogue. Some might be dissatisfied by the ending, but I find it very empowering. It goes against what people commonly demand in all "triangle" movies: a choice to love or hate. However, sometimes between A and B the best option is C.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Daniel N

Nice, funny and well-taken story with a beautiful performance by Mia Farrow.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/06/20

Full Review

andres s

Mia Farrow is so cute and pretty. She has this innocence and charm. Woody is so good with turning on the charm factor in his movies but also doesn't neglect the real and dark side of things like affairs and lost love and relationship/marital problems. It must be tough living in the whole rich expensive yuppy world. That's sarcasm by the way. Oh my god that was so funny. She almost said something to the guy but her plans were foiled immediately when the teacher came by and started talking to her. I can't but feel like this is a nod to Alice in Wonderland especially when Dr. Yang brought out the hypnotizing spiral machine. Pretty cool how he was able to diagnose her and have her open up under hypnotization. It's so weird seeing her flirt with the guy that she likes. It's almost like she's a completely different person. No more shyness. William Hurt is a great actor. He can be funny without trying. So funny to see how she chickened out of meeting up with Joe at the penguin exhibit. It's so cool how the whole Eastern medicine aspect of the movie kind of made it into somewhat of a fairytale. I can't help but think that Alec Baldwin as a ghost in this movie is a callback and shoutout to his role in Beetlejuice. I really liked how Woody put that in there and I liked his role in the movie. The aerial shots of New York City and the beach were beautiful. Really smooth camerawork. Colors play a big part in this movie. When she feels stressed or out of place or even is acting like not her true self, she usually is wearing red. "You know, throw her down on the couch. For old times sake?" That line coming from Mia was so funny. That delivery was brilliant. Seeing Mia frantically try to piece together her outfit was pretty funny. I loved how Bernadette was Mia's muse. Oh s**t! Her husband was having an affair the whole time! It must be pretty hard trying to figure yourself out late in the game amidst being trapped in a marriage with kids and being in your 40's. I feel for Alice. The whole love herb in the eggnog bit was fu***ng hilarious. That's some classic Woody Allen comedy right there. How all the guys at the party are head over heels for her but they don't even know her. I'm glad Alice made the right choice and left all the pretentious and fake life behind for a more real one with a focus on doing what she truly loves and spending time with her kids. Woody never disappoints, never. I've loved all of his movies. He's so creative and imaginative creating almost dreamlike and fantasy-like scenes. This one has a class and elegance to it like none of his other movies. I honestly went into this movie not thinking much of it and in the end left pleasantly surprised by how great it was and how deep its messages are. Important things to take from this movie: Eastern medicine is the way to go, sometimes we get stuck in a rut but someone or something can come into our lives and get us moving in the right direction, and don't pursue a life that's fake. I really enjoyed this movie. I thought it was really funny at times and I think its messages are timeless. I can't help but think that Woody himself probably went through some of these things in his life which then inspired him to make this movie. I definitely have to own this one.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

steve d

Incredibly boring from beginning to end.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

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Woody Allen

Director

Mia Farrow

Alice

Joe Mantegna

Joe

William Hurt

Doug

Alec Baldwin

Ed

Blythe Danner

Dorothy

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Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Peter Travers

Rolling Stone

Alice may be a minor work in the Allen canon, but when its grace notes manage to be heard above the whimsy, they ring true.

May 12, 2001

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

It's a strange, magical film.

Rated: 3/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Nobody can play the nebbish as well as Woody Allen, and that includes Mia Farrow -- unfortunately, Allen often saddled her with simpering variations on the same type of character.

Rated: 2/4

Sep 18, 2021

Full Review

Mattie Lucas

From the Front Row

This is really the beginning of Allen's penchant for "playing the hits" rather than pushing himself and experimenting with style and form as he had in the 70s and 80s.

Rated: 2/4

Jun 3, 2019

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

It works nicely as a minor Allen comedy, but one that comes off as inauthentic.

Rated: B-

Apr 10, 2019

Full Review

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Synopsis

A well-to-do Manhattan housewife, Alice Tate (Mia Farrow), finds her affections shifting from her stockbroker husband (William Hurt) of 16 years to saxophone player Joe Ruffalo (Joe Mantegna), a veritable stranger. After realizing her feelings, Tate begins to experience back pains and visits a Chinatown herbalist, Dr. Yang (Keye Luke), for a cure. Perceptive to her dilemma, Yang provides a series of magical herbal remedies to provide Tate the insight she needs to solve her problem.

Director: Woody Allen
Executive Producer: Charles H. Joffe, Jack Rollins
Screenwriter: Woody Allen
Distributor: Orion Pictures, LK-TEL
Production Co: Orion Pictures
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Comedy, Fantasy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 25, 1990, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 2, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $6.8M
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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