Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Synopsis:

Alice's husband dies and she finds herself a single mother without an income.  Having given up a singing career when she got married she hopes to return to that, but to do so she has to travel back to the city she last worked in.  Along the way she takes a number of jobs and soon finds that sometimes when you go after your dreams you realize that your happy where you are.

Review:

I really liked this movie...until the end.  Basically it's a "day-in-the-life-of" movie.  Normally I don't care for those sort of movies, but I liked this one.  I was a bit disappointed with the ending because it just sort of ends and leaves you with questions, but I guess that's where the series "Alice" picks up at.  I don't know if the series was known about when this was made (I highly doubt it), but I remember watching the series.  I may have even seen every episode, but I don't remember because it was a long time ago.  Although the series was more of a sit-com and this was more of a drama with comedy thrown in there, it doesn't surprise me that I liked it.

Ellen Burstyn plays Alice in this.  The only other thing I know her in is The Exorcist (my favorite movie).  I think the job she did in this was great.  The way she and Alfred Lutter III, who plays her son, play off of each other is really great.  They have a great chemistry together.  And Diane Ladd as the tough talking, sometimes vulgar Flo is awsome.  Oh yeah, and Kris Kristofferson and Harvey Keitel were in this also.

All in all it was a well written, well directed (Martin Scorsese) well funded, well acted movie.

Kid safe:  Hmm...there is some colorful language and some scenes where people are fighting and throwing things in anger, but no nudity or gore.  I wouldn't let my 12 year old watch it, but she could still probably talk me into it if she really wanted to see it.

IMDB link:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071115/