Alex of Venice

R

Released Apr 17, 2015

1 hr. 26 min.

Drama

List

74%

31 Reviews

Tomatometer

43%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

After her stay-at-home husband (Chris Messina) leaves her, a workaholic lawyer (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) finds that she is not completely up to the tasks of caring for her young son, ailing father (Don Johnson) and household all by herself.

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Critics Consensus

Alex of Venice does immensely likable things with its overly familiar parts, adding up to an agreeable calling card for debuting director Chris Messina.

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peter S

Mary Elizabeth Winstead should earn a prize for her performance in this movie, the worst ever actress to play in a movie while pretending she was good.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/24/23

Full Review

steve d

The film enjoyment hinges on how much you like its actress. I love her, so I liked it a lot.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/30/23

Full Review

kevin c

Mary Elizabeth Winstead stars in this film as an overworked lawyer whose husband decides to leave her and their son forcing her to change her life. Winstead is always great as is Don Johnson who plays her father. This is basically a well acted film where you feel like you're immersed in these characters lives for ninety minutes.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

mauro l

Mike D'Angelo ("The A.V. Club"): "So doggedly ordinary that it constantly teeters on the edge of tedium." "A character study without character." (Mauro Lanari)

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Some self-discoveries come looking for you! Not to be confused with Venice in the title as the Europe's own Venice. It's a place in Los Agenles, USA. I don't know it is to be called a B movie or an indie, but definitely a decent drama with a decent storyline and cast. Indeed, it was about Alex, a middle age working and married woman with a young son. Her husband who takes care of the household, is now deserted them. So in her busy working life, Alex comes to realise the family bonding, particularly with her son. Then there's her dad and sister who are a troublemaker than any useful. So her life with a new perspective begins, like a self-discovery. This is a directional debut for a supporting actor. He should be directing more films. I really liked it. It was simple and obviously realistic. This thing happens in the real world. So all I felt it was a reflection of someone's real life on the screen. Well written and directed. I liked the cast too. Mary Elizabeth was very good and so the rest of them. This is not an unexpected film, but with its limits it had narrated a fine story. The ratings are not fair. It's surely worth a watch and better than an average. I think only the adult would recognise it from its contents with similar experiences of their own lives. 7/10

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/30/23

Full Review

troy k

A nice slow family drama.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Chris Messina

Director

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Alex

Chris Messina

George

Don Johnson

Roger

Katie Nehra

Lily

Derek Luke

Frank

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Glenn Kenny

RogerEbert.com

The movie's quirky setting pays off dividends where you least expect them. At such moments, the movie's humanism finally seems unforced, and everything is the better for that.

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 17, 2015

Full Review

Sheri Linden

Los Angeles Times

Chris Messina's "Alex of Venice" is as much a love letter to the Los Angeles neighborhood as it is a well-observed drama.

Apr 16, 2015

Full Review

Manohla Dargis

New York Times

An appealing portrait miniature of a woman who loses and finds her bearings ...

Apr 16, 2015

Full Review

Morgan Rojas

Cinemacy

Flaws aside, Messina should be proud of his debut film.

Nov 9, 2018

Full Review

Alex Heeney

Seventh Row

[Chris] Messina may be an actor's director, but he still has a long way to go before that translates into being able to produce a visually satisfying piece of work.

Aug 15, 2017

Full Review

Jordan Raup

The Film Stage

Alex of Venice might not break any new bounds in storytelling but it's a confident exploration of a traumatic life change.

Rated: B-

Jun 6, 2016

Full Review

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Synopsis

After her stay-at-home husband (Chris Messina) leaves her, a workaholic lawyer (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) finds that she is not completely up to the tasks of caring for her young son, ailing father (Don Johnson) and household all by herself.

Director: Chris Messina
Executive Producer: Louise Runge, Samantha Housman
Screenwriter: Jessica Goldberg, Katie Nehra, Justin Shilton
Distributor: Screen Media Films
Production Co: Electric City Entertainment
Rating: R (Language|Some Drug Use|Sexual References)
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 17, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Oct 13, 2015

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