Movie: Alice

To outsiders, Alice Ferrand (Emilie Piponnier) looks like she has it all. She has an adorably playful toddler named Jules (Jules Milo Levy Mackerras); a doting partner, François (Martin Swabey), who showers her with affection; a posh apartment she helped pay for; a job and friends. But that domestic dream turns into the darkest of nightmares when François disappears without a trace and Alice discovers that not only has he strayed from their relationship by seeking the company of high-priced escorts for some time but also that he’s used her money and stopped paying off their home to do so. On a whim, Alice decides to find out more about the world of well-paid escorts and incidentally finds the way to save her and Jules from almost certain eviction.

Writer and director Josephine Mackerras mixes the martial drama with a message about double standards and stigma. Alice’s prejudices against escorts do not last long after she meets Lisa (Chloé Boreham), a fellow sex worker who coaches her through her first calls, best safety practices and tips for navigating the system to continue getting work. Some of the best parts of the movie blossom out of the pair’s newfound friendship. Unfortunately, Alice’s problems are not entirely resolved by her new job. Her new profession could also cost her custody of her son, exposing both the legal and cultural double standards against women sex works and the ease with which men who pay for sex can dodge similar consequences.

“Alice” also makes a point to show how society can abandon women and single moms, leaving them in vulnerable situations like Alice’s. When she calls her mother, Alice finds no support, the previous generation instead scolds her for not meeting her husband’s needs and for giving up on her marriage so easily. Their phone conversation is a relatively quiet scene, but immensely crushing. It’s only the first of many times Alice finds herself on her own. Later, in the scramble for a late-night call, she frantically tries to get Jules to a friend’s house but her friend rejects her when she sees Alice in full makeup and a cute dress. The moment leaves Alice to choose between her baby’s safety or their potential well-being. There are few resources for her to turn to in her new life beyond Lisa.

As Alice, Piponnier is phenomenal, putting in a meticulously reserved performance in what could very well have been a melodramatic role. She’s almost soft-spoken at the beginning, talking gently to both her son and partner with tender cadence. When her fortunes change, the change is subtle, her cool-headed exterior crumbling bit-by-bit. There are a few small meltdowns and crying spells but most of her energy is spent pulling herself together and steeling her resolve for whatever challenge lies ahead.