Overview
A woman's quest for self-discovery leads her to unexpected love and magical transformations.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- witty
- romantic
- whimsical
- date night
- romantic comedy night
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film a witty, romantic, and exuberantly satirical blend of magical realism and domestic self-discovery.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Dr. Yang's herbs give Alice powers including flight and invisibility while reframing her marital dissatisfaction as an inner crisis.
Alice's sixteen-year marriage and household routine are disrupted as she seeks a more authentic sense of self.
The magical herbs produce comic, extravagant consequences while the story remains serious about Alice's emotional confinement.
Alice's encounters with Dr. Yang in New York's Chinatown provide the film's magical catalyst and distinctive cultural setting.
Films like Alice, and why
The Purple Rose of Cairo
magical realism, romantic self-discovery, and witty examination of marriage
Husbands and Wives
new york relationship comedy with neurotic humor and emotional self-examination
What Women Want
romantic comedy blending domestic dissatisfaction with fantasy elements and female transformation
Movie Details
- Director
- Woody Allen
- Release Date
- 1990-12-25
- Runtime
- 102 min
- Rating
- 6.3 / 10 (352)
Cast
- Mia Farrow
- William Hurt
- Joe Mantegna
- Alec Baldwin
- Blythe Danner
- Judy Davis
- Keye Luke
- Bernadette Peters
- Cybill Shepherd
- Holland Taylor
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Alice about?
- A dissatisfied New York housewife uses a Chinatown herbalist’s magical remedies to break from marital routine and rediscover her own desires.
- What is Alice like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Alice as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Alice violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Alice.
- What did critics think of Alice?
- Critics broadly found the film a witty, romantic, and exuberantly satirical blend of magical realism and domestic self-discovery.
- Which films are like Alice?
- Films with a similar feel include The Purple Rose of Cairo, Husbands and Wives, and What Women Want.
- How long is Alice?
- Alice runs 102 minutes.
- Where can I watch Alice?
- In United States, Alice streams on fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus.
