Alex of Venice

I enjoyed this quite simple and straightforward story and script. The lead female character adds to the story and the script with her extremely natural performance and lets the movie flow smoothly. Yes, it could have become a deeper movie at many levels but that would also have taken away from the simplicity of the characters portrayed. I enjoyed it thoroughly and recommend it for a weeknight watch.

This should be at least some 20 minutes longer. From beginning I felt whole storytelling as rushed. Husband suddenly announces that he can't do it anymore, and leaves. But we couldn't see almost nothing why, how family was really dysfunctional. And it was so most time. I don't know who to blame more: writers or director. Probably both. It seems that director felt in love with Mary Elizabeth Winstead (MEW in further text), and focused on her all time - there was plenty of scenes with only her on screen. Actually, I can not blame him for that - camera loves her, and she was ideal cast for idealistic, as young dedicated to school, work type young woman. I watched this mostly because of her. Don Johnson was pleasant surprise in atypical role. Unfortunately, there is strong impression that male characters were not just lower time on screen, but presented as lower worthy. Still, it could be pretty good indie movie with better storytelling and more time. Was problem with budget or directors inexperience, I can't tell. Acting from MEW, Don Johnson and Skylar Gaertner was superb. Other did good job too. My rating is 6 - it was watchable, not boring, maybe simply because you can not stop to watch MEW :-)

Directed by actor Chris Messina, Alex of Venice is highly indie on the scope of indie-ness from the mundane plot to the uneventful conclusion.

Alex of Venice is so indie that its plot can be summarized like something out of a fortune cookie "do not resist the progress when your life takes a turn toward a new beginning." Seriously, Archon is not even trying to be cute in that little blurb. Alex of Venice is about a workaholic female attorney with a stay-at-home husband who must adapt when her husband suddenly chooses to leave the marriage. Not only must she acclimate to the added responsibilities of tending to the issues at home, but she must also adapt if she is to survive with her sanity intact.

Alex of Venice is not a comedy nor is it quirky in the way that indies typically are, it is just a straightforward drama.There is drama incorporated through Alex's work and legal pursuits, drama with her child, drama with her family, her love life and marriage. All in all, Alex's life is a real mess and is handling it surprisingly well considering.

The cast is a medley of producers and writers associated with the film and that translates to a general familial comfort between the cast. None of the characters in Alex of Venice are particularly captivating, and that is with our film critic having a girl crush on the lead in the film Mary Elizabeth Winstead. In a way, Alex of Venice is refreshing because the characters are loud enough to be distinctive but realistic enough to be genuine.

Alex of Venice is as much of a good non-event as you can get. It is all very under developed but not necessarily bad and I'm sure those who knew of it will watch it. But it is just not remarkable enough to recommend.

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I'll give the makers credit for a fairly original setting. It's a household with a house-husband, a retired actor father, a little boy, a black male buddy of the father, and a kooky, free-spirited sister in Venice Beach, California. The lead is an environmental lawyer.

Well, movie people write about stuff they can relate to. These characters are Godless, artistic, environmentally concerned, and unconventional. The viewer in Central Nebraska may not relate to them, but some of the themes are supposed to transcend setting.

Of course Venice never looked so good. The family lives on a quiet street and roams the area in peaceful bliss. In reality, that place is filled with homeless, druggies, gangs, and barflies. But the way it was presented was quite pleasing.

I like Chris Messina. He comes across as a thoughtful guy in his indie appearances, and also in this one as director and costar. The lead lady is beautiful when she has make up on, so guys will appreciate that. She can act too. Check out Final Destination 3. Don Johnson is excellent, and Chris Messina brings a gravitas to the screen.

The kid actor was perfect as well. He didn't have gratuitous cutesy scenes or dialog. You felt his sincere confusion over the drama in the household. The wild sister could have overplayed her role, but she didn't. She hit the mark.

As others have said, there could have been some more profound dialog about the meaning of life, but I thought the lead's closing argument in the court room scene was well-written. I also like the way they worked a Checkhov play into the story. It was supposed to parallel Don Johnson's character's predicament of growing old and being left behind.

Black folks will appreciate a wonderfully understated performance by Derek Luke.

Yes, I would have preferred more background on everyone. Where is Don Johnson's wife? Does the painter husband make a living? How did the lead get so involved with the environment? Give us a tad more about the sister. There was some attempt to explain her, but not enough.

How did Derek Luke's character make his initial money? There is also a small role played by Jennifer Jason Leigh. She looks great for her age. Almost the same as she did 30 years ago, although slightly heavier.

I'm glad they did not bombard us with an obnoxious soundtrack. Most of the background music is just a dramatic one-note hum to increase the feeling of intensity.

All in all, not a bad picture if you simply accept the fact that it's about people who some of us may not relate to. The performances are sensitive, gentle, and understated. The atmosphere is appealing, and the attempt to make some sense out of the chaos of changing lives was adequate if not memorable.

From thequickflickcritic.blogspot.com/

Mary Elizabeth Winstead has emerged as one of my favorite actress's. Ever. She positively shines as "Alex of Venice" with yet another in a continuing string of organically enchanting performances.

This time she gives us Alex, a young environmental protection attorney whose workaholic overachieving has relegated her own family to virtual peripheral status. Alex's poignant reexamination of her priorities are at once engaging and heartbreaking as exquisitely brought to bear by the wondrous Winstead.

Chris Messina pulls double duty here. As Director, he shows a keen gift for extracting the essential nature from each of the film's fine cast. This includes Messina himself, as he delivers a moving turn in the role of George, a neglected husband who has ignored life's personal callings for far too many years.

Don Johnson is also simply superb and genuinely affecting as Alex's rough around the edges dad, Roger. Johnson's rendering of a washed up TV series actor playing a supporting part in what amounts to a community theater production parallels his character's succumbing to an insidious disease that threatens to rob him of his mental faculties.

Derek Luke makes an impression as a smoothly shrewd real estate developer who comes to reveal a soul more than capable of conveying compassion. And kudos to the great Jennifer Jason Leigh. While her presence is small, her big name is absent from the screen during "Alex"'s opening credits.

How often do we see THAT kind of modesty in Hollywood?

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