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Actors: Ellen Burstyn, Valerie Curtin, Jodie Foster, Lelia Goldoni, Harvey Keitel, Kris Kristofferson, Diane Ladd, Alfred Lutter III
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore |
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Alice's childhood dreams of becoming a singer were never fulfilled. Locked in a loveless marriage with a precocious son, her life is nothing more than routine. A freak accident, killing her husband, forces Alice and son to hit the road in pursuit of her dream with nothing but determination and spirit. This is Alice's chance to change her life forever but will the American Dream sour along a hot, dusty highway filled with disappointed and disillusioned people?
--Mike Tomlinson, Resident Scholar
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For those of you who thought Martin Scorsese only made gangster movies, here's a real surprise: not only did he make a housewife melodrama somewhere in the seventies, but he made the best one around for miles. Ellen Burstyn is fantastic as middle-aging wife and mother Alice, whose life is torn apart when her neglectful husband is killed in a car accident and she is left with nothing to take care of her fast growing son (Alfred Lutter III). The two find themselves on a road trip across the country to Tucson where she plans to start all over again, but not before various stops along the way keep them from achieving their goal too soon. Diane Ladd is brilliant as Flo, the nasty-mouthed waitress at the diner where Alice gets a job to stay afloat (Polly Holliday made a name for herself playing the role on the hit television show "Alice" that was based on this film). Look for little Laura Dern eating an ice cream cone at the diner counter, and a twelve year-old Jodie Foster as a precocious little thief who hilariously refers to her prostitute mother as "Ramada Rose". Excellent stuff.
--Bil Antoniou, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of movie:
- 1960's-1970's
Family, loving
Yes
Special relationship with
- son
Road trip
Yes
Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Profession/status:
- singer/musician
- waitor/waitress
Age:
- 40's-50's
Eccentric:
Yes
- eccentric
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- blonde
Hair type
- (woman) short/butch/lez
Body type
- (woman) skinny
Events of movie makes character more...
- caring
- happy
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
- hard edged
Sense of humor?
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
- healthy but a geeky weakling
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair style
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) average build
How much in movie?
- 60%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 20%
Hair color
- brunette (Brown)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) average
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- mean, arrogant
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- bulging muscles
Setting
United States
Yes
The US:
- West
- Midwest
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
Movie makes you feel...
- encouraged
- thoughtful
Any profanity?
- Some foul language
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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