Losing Alice (2020): A Seductive Journey into Obsession and Identity
Losing Alice (2020) is an Israeli psychological thriller series created, written, and directed by Sigal Avin. Premiering on Apple TV+, the show offers a bold and cerebral exploration of creativity, desire, power, and the gradual loss of self. Combining elements of noir, suspense, and character-driven drama, Losing Alice is as much a slow-burn thriller as it is a meditation on aging, ambition, and the blurred lines between reality and fiction.
The story follows Alice Ginor (Ayelet Zurer), a 48-year-old film director whose career has stagnated following motherhood and years spent in domesticity. Once a rising star in the Israeli film industry, Alice now struggles with professional insecurities and the fading relevance that often haunts women in creative industries. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Sophie (Lihi Kornowski), a young, provocative screenwriter with a darkly seductive screenplay and an intense admiration for Alice.
From their first encounter, Sophie exudes a mysterious magnetism, drawing Alice into her world with a mix of flattery, admiration, and dangerous allure. As the two begin working together on a film project, the boundaries between collaboration and manipulation begin to blur. Alice’s fascination with Sophie turns into obsession, leading her to question her own identity, choices, and even her grasp on reality.
What makes Losing Alice particularly compelling is how it explores the psychological dynamics between two women at different stages of life and ambition. Alice, intelligent and composed on the surface, is revealed to be deeply vulnerable, haunted by time slipping away and unfulfilled creative desires. Sophie, youthful and enigmatic, embodies both inspiration and threat—a symbol of everything Alice once was and perhaps wishes she still could be.
Ayelet Zurer delivers a riveting performance as Alice, portraying her descent into obsession with nuance and emotional precision. Her portrayal captures the quiet unraveling of a woman trying to reclaim her relevance, voice, and sense of control. Lihi Kornowski, in turn, balances charm and menace as Sophie, walking the line between muse and manipulator with unsettling grace.
Stylistically, the series is lush and cinematic, filled with symbolic imagery and a haunting score that amplifies the mood. The storytelling is nonlinear and often dreamlike, allowing past and present to bleed together, much like Alice’s perception of fiction and reality. Sigal Avin’s direction is bold, deliberately slow-paced, and rich in atmosphere, allowing tension to simmer beneath the surface. The show draws clear influence from filmmakers like David Lynch and Roman Polanski, evoking a sense of dread, voyeurism, and psychological disorientation.
Beyond its psychological thriller elements, Losing Alice is a sharp commentary on gender, power dynamics in the film industry, and the societal pressures placed on women as they age. It asks uncomfortable questions: How far will someone go to recapture their youth or artistic voice? And what happens when one begins to live inside their own cinematic illusions?
In conclusion, Losing Alice (2020) is a haunting, seductive, and intellectually engaging series that challenges viewers to think deeply about identity, desire, and the cost of ambition. With stunning performances and meticulous direction, it stands out as one of the more original and thought-provoking thrillers of recent years—a cerebral descent into the darker corners of the creative mind.
