Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)
Ellen Burstyn, Alfred Lutter, Diane Ladd, Kris Kristofferson; d. Martin Scorsese; B

Alice Hyatt (Ellen Burstyn) is a housewife living with her seemingly unsatisfied husband (Billy Green Brush), and smart aleck son, Tommy (Alfred Lutter). Things take an unexpected turn when her husband is killed in a car accident, leaving Alice and Tommy with just enough money to pay for the funeral. With no money to live on at home, Alice decides to move out west and get a job as a singer. Alice lands a job as a singer in a piano bar during a pit stop in Pheonix. It is at that piano bar where she meets a charming young man named Ben (Harvey Keitel) who is smitten with her. But eventually the truth about Ben's personal life as well as his personality is revealed rather violently to Alice. Petrified, Alice and Tommy haul ass out of Pheonix and move to Tuscon. Despite her wishes, Alice lands a job not as a waitress in a hectic diner. She hates working there, especially with potty-mouthed waitress Flo (Diane Ladd). But it's there where she meets a man named David (Kris Kristofferson) who takes an interest to the quiet waitress. Tommy also meets someone in Tuscon, a rowdy tomboy named Audrey (Jodie Foster) who takes guitar lessions with him. Romance blossoms between David and Alice, and an irreplacable friendship grows between Alice and her co-worker Flo. It looks like things will be alright in Tuscon after all...

People who usually associate the name "Scorsese" with gangster and vivid images of violence may be taken aback by this almost voilence-free character study, told primarily through the eyes of a woman. However, this is in no way a lesser Scorsese film. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore is a great example of Scorsese's masterfull direction of the camera and cast. The cinematography and camerawork is the highlight of this film, but the cast is just as good. Burstyn gives an excellent Oscar-nominated performance as Alice, and is perfectly matched up with Alfred Lutter as the annoying but lovable Tommy, and Diane Ladd as Flo. Harvey Keitel and Jodie Foster, both of whom would return in a later Scorsese film, Taxi Driver, do superbly in their small roles. Keitel succeeds at fooling and surprising the audience, and Jodie Foster plays the bad seed to perfection. The script itself is wonderful, and in the end comes out as a charming, entertaining and witty film. The characters in this film are unforgettable, as is the personal journey of its main character, Alice. I definatley reccomend this one.

© Vert A Go Go Reviews 2001