Review of Alice's Restaurant (1969) by Julie H — 11 Aug 2005

The premise was interesting enough. A look inside the American "counter culture" of the mid to late 60's through the eyes of Arlo Guthrie. However, being born one year after the movie was made, I shared little nostalgia for the time only a curiosity for the events and paradigms the people had.

Unfortunately, the movie was a confused, boring, and disturbing. The only bright spot in the entire film was Tina Chen, who unfortunatly never went on to anything afterward except for the Hawaiians a year later. Her fresh face appeal and subtle expressionism were a league ahead of her co-actors. Sadly the counter culture and American film had no room for Asian actors/actresses, and only today are they starting to break free of Hollywoods repression and stereotyping. Sadly, Tina could not have been debuted today, she would have surely been given billing with Ming Na Wen, Lucy Liu, etc.

Arlo may have been a descent folk singer, but sadly makes the audience want to scratch their eyes out at his deadpan acting. The look inisde the counter culture re-afirms my thankfulness that I wasnt born 20 years earlier. The attempt to show some kind of happy comunal coming of age film is tragic upon reflection of the events and consequences of that lifestyle and how it has destroyed two generations, reaching even to today. It's like watching Triumph of the Will, and knowing the tragedy that befell from it. The nostalgia lost by the results.

Overall a disturbing film to watch but ultimately educational in its insight to the narcasistic, selfish generation that shaped the 60s.