More than just a road movie, the highly personal Alice in the Cities is a self reflexive insight into or rather a glimpse of the real Wim Wenders.
We are immediately cast into the world of the main character, a reporter, who rather then writing is focused on recording the moments and his journey on his SX70 polaroid camera.
Herein lies the photographic aspect of the film. Not only do we learn and reflect on the need and the beauty in recording moments. But the chance meeting with a German mother and her daughter Alice lead the character to another path also entwined with photography. He is left to look after the young Alice and the only reference they have to find Alice's grandmothers dwellings is of course a photograph.
The musical score that repeats throughout the film has a hypnotic effect and makes the movie so indicative of a Wenders piece. We are lulled into the story, the journey, and the growing friendship between the two characters.
Photobooth snaps taken, again highlight the medium and add its lighter side of recording a time and place. Somehow it reminds me of the camera freeze scenes as Jeanne Moreau is laughing in Jules et Jim, and also Jean Paul Belmondo pulling faces in A Bout de Souffle.
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