With a cast that includes Aubrey Plaza, Jane Levy, Max Greenfield, Nate Parker, Max Minghella, Jason Ritter and Maggie Grace, indie dramedy About Alex is already high on my list of movies to see. That talented ensemble features some of the hottest young actors and actresses working on the small screen today. In particular, Plaza, who broke out on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, has impressed in almost every big-screen vehicle she’s had for her deadpan talents thus far (I was in the minority who despised The To-Do List). Now, a first trailer for About Alex has arrived, highlighting the film’s tricky blend of serious drama and light-hearted laughs, as well as that strong cast.
Directed by first-time helmer Jesse Zwick, About Alex didn’t make much noise when it touched down at the Tribeca Film Festival earlier this year, but I’m still interested to see it after this trailer. Suicide is an inherently difficult and treacherous subject for dramatic comedies to tackle, but About Alex appears to be dealing with that problem by spreading its focus across many characters, not just the title one whom a group of friends come together to comfort after he attempts to take his own life. Whether that’s a winning strategy or not, we won’t know until the movie opens in theaters and on iTunes on August 8th.
In ABOUT ALEX, a circle of twenty-something friends reunite for a weekend away after one of them suffers an emotional breakdown. Despite the group’s best efforts to keep it light and enjoy themselves, a tinderbox of old jealousies, unrequited love, and widening political differences leads to an explosion that, coupled with the flammable combination of drugs, wine, and risotto, cannot be contained. An honest appraisal of adult friendship for our current social media moment, ABOUT ALEX is a lighthearted look at the struggles of a generation that has it all – and wants more.
