ABOUT ALEX – The Review

If you’re a child of the 80s, like myself, then your know all about what makes a good movie about friends. No, forget that Friends TV show and its unrealistic sitcom stereotypes. I’m talking about films like the 1985 classics THE BREAKFAST CLUB  and ST. ELMO’S FIRE, or FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982) or even REVENGE OF THE NERDS (1984). We knew what friends on film were all about in the 80s, but whatever happened to that great emotionally-driven, sentimental sub-genre of dramatic comedies?

I have the answer… thank god for filmmaking dynasties. In the tradition of great directors passing the torch to their children, award-winning director Edward Zwick has clearly fostered promising talent in his son Jesse Zwick, whose feature film debut ABOUT ALEX manages to instill a renewed sense of sentimentality into the friendship dramedy genre. With a youthful voice, writer and director Jesse Zwick recycles what made those 80s films memorable and modernized that greatness to appeal to a new generation, without isolating the previous generations.

With that gushing praise aside, I feel I must also point out the flip side of the film. There is a lot of familiar territory covered and the result is a film that occasionally gets bogged down in drama that evokes the recent trend of popular reality TV drama, but then again, what’s popular is what sells, right? I suppose, for that reason, I’ll let this pass, but it could not go without mentioning as it rears its annoying head more than once, drawing the viewer out of the underlying, far more intriguing character-driven story about the ups ad downs of long-time, intimate friendships.

Jason Ritter (from TV’s Parenthood) plays Alex, the title character who attempts to commit suicide after making multiple failed attempts to contact his friends. In an effort to help Alex recover and to be there in his time of need, his friends reunite at his home for a weekend of close companionship. Nate Parker (RED TAILS) plays Ben, Alex’s closest friend and a struggling writer. Maggie Grace (from TV’s Californication) plays Ben’s girlfriend Siri, who is having her own hidden relationship doubts. Max Greenfield (from TV’s The New Girl) plays Josh, the highly opinionated, unfiltered friend and open critic of Alex’s choice to attempt suicide. Aubrey Plaza (from TV’s Parks and Recreation) plays Sarah, a successful lawyer who secretly hates her life, hiding her desire to pursue her passion for cooking. Max Minghella (THE INTERNSHIP) plays Isaac, Sarah’s ex-boyfriend and successful businessman who travels the furthest to be with Alex. Jane Levy (EVIL DEAD remake) plays Kate, Isaac’s new girlfriend and a suicide crisis hotline worker, being introduced to Alex and his friends for the first time.

If you hadn’t already noticed, ABOUT ALEX has a very interesting cast of young, talented players, several of whom are most notably recognizable from hit television shows, which is a pleasant twist on the usual casting trends. Equally engaging is the diversity of the cast in background, style and experience, creating for a more believable and volatile chemistry between the characters, an element which plays a crucial role in the film’s psychological dynamic. While the title suggests Alex as the central character, the truth becomes apparent that Alex is actually more of a background character around whom the rest of the cast and their stories unfold. Alex is a catastrophic catalyst for character exploration. Say that five times fast and find out how the ties between these characters intertwine to ensure a weekend of uneasy confrontations and unpleasant realizations.

Ben is the strong friend, a seemingly stable fixture who somehow failed as Alex’s foundation. Siri is a sweet, loving woman with a successful career on the horizon, but this has become an obstacle in her interest in taking her relationship with Ben to the next level. Meanwhile, Ben’s writer’s block is drawing him away from those he loves as he insists on internalizing his struggles. Simultaneously, Alex is increasingly fixated on his lost relationship with Ben, as Josh is increasingly blunt and aggressively confrontational toward Alex about his choices and behavior. Sarah becomes increasingly close to Alex, while also blindly allowing old physical attractions with Josh to further complicate her emotional distress. Isaac struggles with his insecurities with Kate as Sarah struggles with her misplaced jealousy, while Kate awkwardly tries to find her place amongst this group of old friends, but ultimately proves her presence is the best thing that could happen to Alex in a long time.

ABOUT ALEX is a sincere portrayal of twenty-something relationships, with all the ups and downs, especially the down, but most importantly the fact that friends are there in the end, no mater what goes down along the journey. This is a light-hearted film, but is not always an easy film to watch. There is warmth and also some icy coldness between characters. There is plenty of mature humor, but Jesse Zwick never lets the film get out of hand and silly. ABOUT ALEX is an intelligent drama, not another immature “grown up” comedy about old friends reuniting to relive their youth by acting stupid.

ABOUT ALEX opens in theaters on Friday, August 8, 2014.

Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars