“Let go and move on” are one of those catchphrases that are easier said than done. Admit it, you have at least one issue in your life that you have not resolved yet. This could be in a form of anger, resentment, fear, envy or any of those destructive emotions that hinder you from growing into a mature person. Unknowingly, we sometimes resolve the issues on our own by creating a vicious pattern of damaging habits. The anti-hero, Alice from the film, The Girl in the Book is one such person who is trapped in her past, and when the very person who caused her to have issues re-enters her life, she had no choice but to face her fears.
Alice in a Not-So-Wonderland
We are greeted by the opening scene of Alice in bed whom we assumed to be just a casual hookup after she dresses up and leaves the room and goes to work (sans her underwear) without even a romantic hug or kiss. Later, we will find out that he is just one in a series of one-night-stands. Working for a publishing house, she is especially assigned to manage the publicity of a bestselling novel ‘Waking Eyes’ that was released 14 years ago, and that they are now turning into an e-book. She is hesitant to accept this, but her boss insisted that she is the perfect person for the job since her father is the agent of the author, Milan Daneker.
In a flashback, we are then introduced to a 15-year old Alice who is introduced by her father to the author during a party at her home. Both her parents are writer’s agents, thus, she too has an inclination for writing.
But even with a privileged upbringing, she gets ignored by her parents’ preoccupation with work and constant bickering. This is where Milan notices Alice and takes her under his wing by mentoring her on her writing. He wins the affection of the insecure teenager. When their relationship goes beyond just mentor-mentee, Alice becomes confused but allows him to corrupt her.
A Tale of Betrayal
And so we take a glimpse of Lolita here. But more than the case of taking advantage of a young girl’s naivete and loneliness, this is a story of betrayal. There is more to Milan’s purpose of just ‘mentoring’ Alice on writing and pleasure, and this is what hurt her the most. It is this hurt that catapulted her to be paralyzed emotionally and professionally. Her desire of becoming a writer is never materialized and her philandering ways cause her to lose her best friend, Sadie and her new lover, Emmett’s trust on her.
Light at the End of the Tunnel
When all seemed lost and broken, Alice did what she needed to do. She faces her greatest fears and tries to win back the affection of Sadie and Emmett. She confronts Milan, stands up against her father (little by little), and catches up on her writing. Even when this is a tale of betrayal, it is also a story of redemption and resolutions. What Alice did to have Emmett back in her arms again is just heartwarming.
Emily VanCamp captured the essence of the troubled Alice, but she could improve on her facial expressions, instead of just displaying her bewildered and confused look most of the time. Fresh-faced with a sweet and sultry combination, Ana Mulvoy-Ten as the 15 year-old Alice played her part well. But the cast who stood out most here is the culprit Milan Daneker by Michael Nyqvist. He did not even have to say anything – his eyes conveyed the emotions that he was feeling, from being sympathetic and helpful towards Alice to being lascivious and jealous of Alice’s youth. The supporting cast also fared well enough to make this movie at least endurable. The movie is predictable, but it will make you want to sit down and watch it until the end. So did Alice resolve her issues? That is for you to find out.