Lionsgate has released the official trailer for the new psychological thriller Alice, Darling. Starring Anna Kendrick, the film will be given a local theatrical run in Los Angeles on Dec. 30 before opening up in AMC theaters nationwide starting on Jan. 20, 2023. That follows the film having its World Premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival where it was met with acclaim. You can check out the new trailer for the film below.
Kendrick (Up In The Air) is part of an ensemble cast that also includes Kaniehtiio Horn (Possessor), Charlie Carrick (Departure), and Wunmi Mosaku (Call Jane). Mary Nighty makes her directorial debut as the director of Alice, Darling, which was written by Alanna Francis (The Rest of Us). Kendrick also served as an executive producer of the film.
Lionsgate has described the film as a "subtle, nuanced authentic story about coercion and control." In the movie, Kendrick plays a woman pushed to her psychological breaking point after enduring abuse from her boyfriend. According to the studio, the film is different from other movies about domestic abuse, as it takes viewers "deep into Alice's deteriorating psyche as she begins to unravel in hard-to-watch moments as a result of the mental torment rollercoaster In reconnecting with her deep-rooted friendships, Alice is forced to face her demons which opens the door to recovery from the trauma.
The official synopsis reads:
In the taut thriller, Anna Kendrick stars as a woman pushed to the breaking point by her psychologically abusive boyfriend, Simon. While on vacation with two close girlfriends, Alice rediscovers the essence of herself and gains some much-needed perspective. Slowly, she starts to fray the cords of codependency that bind her. But Simon’s vengeance is as inevitable as it is shattering – and, once unleashed, it tests Alice’s strength, her courage, and the bonds of her deep-rooted friendships.
Alice, Darling Is Different from Other Movies About Abuse
“We wanted to do a version of this story that’s more unusual than most films that chronicle abusive relationships," Nighy said of what's unique about this film. "We want to explore the emotional abuse, the subtlety of that, not a big badman, you know, hitting, hurting a woman physically. Those stories are really important too, but this one focuses on emotional abuse where it’s under the surface, less articulated."
Praising the lead star, Nighty added, "Anna is also just a consummate professional. She’s extremely prepared and brilliant on set. She was a one-take wonder–every day she was on point. She’s fantastic at putting on the mask that Alice wears and showing the cracks, the pain, and the tension beneath somebody who seems really fine and on top of everything."
Alice, Darling will be released with a Los Angeles qualifying theatrical run on Dec. 30, 2022, preceding a nationwide rollout exclusively at AMC theaters on Jan. 20, 2023, courtesy of Lionsgate.