ALICE

ALICE is a thriller inspired by true events about an enslaved woman living on a Georgia plantation who escapes through the woods but discovers it’s 1973 and decides to rescue her slave companions and take revenge. ALICE has many captivating elements and top-notch acting, but the third act plays more like a revenge fantasy than a historical drama, and the movie has extreme, intense violence, a few “f” words and a villain with a warped view of Christianity and the Bible.

ALICE, Krystin Ver Linden’s directorial debut, came about after Ver Linden stumbled on an article about the true story of African Americans still living as slaves on an isolated plantation despite the fact it was the 1970s, and they were free. The movie’s story pulls one in right away, but as the plot unfolds, it quickly becomes a fictional, revenge drama rather than something laced in historical truth.

Alice is a young girl living as a slave on an isolated Georgia plantation. She and a dozen other slaves work for Paul, their cruel master who has convinced himself through his twisted religious beliefs that white men should own black people, and he’s doing a good thing by keeping African American as slaves. Paul has a particular fondness for Alice and regularly forces himself upon her.

After he discovers Alice has married Joseph, another salve on the plantation, he becomes enraged with jealousy. Joseph tries to run away, but he’s stopped by one of Paul’s cruel sidekicks. Paul orders the man to shoot Joseph, and Joseph falls to the ground and dies. Alice spirals into a panic attack. Paul ties to calm her down, but instead she attacks him. Paul finally gets his grip on her and decides to “punish” her for her “bad behavior.”

Paul ties Alice up to a tree and puts an iron collar around her face, leaving her there overnight. The next morning, Paul returns to release Alice. He’s certain she will behave now, but she snaps again after Paul starts to come toward her. Alice defends herself with a piece of glass, piercing Paul in the eye, which gives her time to escape through the woods.

Eventually, she makes it out to a highway, stunned by these things called cars whizzing past her. When a semi-truck almost hits her, she faints. The driver, Frank, a kind-hearted, disillusioned political activist, carries her to the car. As he and Alice start to talk, he’s certain Alice has developed amnesia as she continues to refer to herself as enslaved. Frank takes her to the hospital so she can get some help. After they arrive, the receptionist asks for her last name and address. When Alice reveals she doesn’t have those things, the receptionist decides to send her to the psych ward.

Frank knows this won’t benefit Alice and encourages her to come with him instead. He reveals that his mother was so tortured in the psych ward that she died there. Alice has no idea what a psych ward is, but she agrees to go with him. Frank takes Alice to his house, where he helps nourish and provide for her. He gives her some of his mother’s clean clothes to wear, feeds her and gives her a room of her own.

While Frank’s at work, Alice starts reading his books. It’s then that she discovers it’s the year 1973 and slaves are free. She devises a plan to return to the plantation and help the others, but Frank still thinks she is doing “crazy talk.” Alice learns how to use the phone and makes a phone call to Mrs. Bennett, Paul’s former wife, who also used to own her at the plantation. When they meet at a local diner, Frank listens to their conversation, finally understanding that what Alice has been saying is the truth.

Frank agrees to join Alice in her plan to free the other slaves. Will they succeed?

ALICE is inspired by true events, but the third act plays out more like a revenge fantasy than a historical drama. That said, nearly every other scene is captivating, with high production values and top notch acting. Keke Palmer, carrying the movie as Alice, delivers a dynamic performance worth watching. However, the events that unfold are so fictional it’s hard to remain invested in her story. For example, when Alice becomes free, she puts on a new pair of clothes given to her and immediately embraces the 70s style and fashion that African American models are wearing. Then, [SPOILERS FOLLOW] when Alice goes back to free the enslaved people, she does so by pouring gasoline all over the woods and starting a massive forest fire, which feels rather cruel and destructive. Also, when she confronts the slave owner, Paul, she doesn’t leave it there. She takes her revenge and turns the tables on him.

ALICE is based on a truly intriguing story, but it feels more like the theme is an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. The movie has a strong moral worldview in that Alice fights for justice and goes to rescue the enslaved people. However, MOVIEGUIDE® finds it extreme due to the intense scenes of extreme violence and danger, plus a few “f” words, in ALICE, and the anti-Christian message that the slave owners in the movie have come to believe the Bible is calling them to own slaves and keep them in line.