Perfect cast and a good story

Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

Alice doesn't so much go through the looking glass or down a rabbit-hole as get strung out on Dr. Yang's herbs. She also has more money than she knows what to do with and Dr Yang's herbs are the conduit into a whole new world of impulsive and uncharacteristic behavior not to mention invisibility and the ability to fly like Supergirl. Despite its sterling cast this is minor, low-key Allen, designed as a vehicle for Farrow and she's excellent. The movie itself falls between 'the early funny ones' and the somewhat more serious later films. It's a doodle at best but even a doodle from Mr Allen isn't to be sniffed at.

Upperclass NYC housewife Alice Tate (Mia Farrow) is married to Doug (William Hurt) with kids. She's concerned that she's falling for another parent Joe Ruffalo (Joe Mantegna) at her kid's school. She's referred to herbalist Dr. Yang who brings her out of her rut. When the herbs wear off, she returns to her old conflicted self. Then Mr. Yang gives her invisibility powder.Mia Farrow plays a neurotic romantic which is often Woody Allen's role. She's enjoyable in this light magic-adjacent romp. It has some fun moments. The floating payphone is funny. The movie needs more of those sight gags. The drift into a ghost of Christmas past doesn't pay off as well as I hope. The romance doesn't wow me. If he plays a bit more of a bad boy, I think his character could be quite appealing. It would heat up the relationship a bit more which would help the movie. It would also differentiate him from William Hurt.

Alice is not Woody Allen at his best and admittedly I was expecting a little more from it after the brilliant Crimes and Misdemeanors(which is top 5 Allen) from the previous year. There are far better developed, more interesting and more identifiable characters in other Allen films, here some were underwritten and a couple like William Hurt's a touch irritating, the titular character was relatively well-developed though. Some of the actors are underused, like Hurt and Judy Davis and Mia Farrow does start off a little too stylised and soft which doesn't make her transformation quite as believable as it could have been. However, quite quickly she becomes very touching and her deadpan comic delivery really shines through, so while with not as strong a start it's actually a good performance. Joe Mantegna turns out good work too, although to a lesser extent he could have been better used, while Keye Luke, Cybill Shepherd and particularly Bernadette Peters and Alec Baldwin(in the most colourful supporting roles) make up an excellent supporting cast. Allen's direction is just right, the film looks beautiful with a dream-like quality at times and the soundtrack is hypnotic. The script and story are a mix of comedy, drama and fantasy, all three balanced well and all three work, with the comedy light-hearted and subtly witty, the drama affecting and not overwrought and the fantasy whimsical and nostalgic-feeling. Working out what was going on and what the film was trying to do and be wasn't a problem for me, and Alice ends cleverly and poignantly. All in all, a lovely film- if not as good as his late 70s-80s films- and a good start to Allen's 90s output though better was to come from that decade(Husbands and Wives, Manhattan Murder Mystery and Bullets Over Broadway). 8/10 Bethany Cox

While I still don't flat out love this film, I was surprised to find I liked it much more on a second viewing. While my original problem with it - thematically it's arguably a weaker, less original re-make of 'Purple Rose of Cairo' still stands, I found myself charmed, caught up and moved, off-setting those moments that are clunkier, too cute, or even borderline racist in their stereotypes. It will never be my favorite Allen film, but it's certainly still a strong effort and Mia Farrow may never have been better. There's enough movie magic here, that it's certainly worth seeing, and for myself, owning.