What's It All About

About Alex will be opening theatrically and on demand August 8, according to The Hollywood Reporter.  Haven't heard of it?  Well then, I guess you missed its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival this year.

It's an ensemble picture, featuring Aubrey Plaza, Max Greenfield, Jason Ritter, Maggie Grace, Nate Parker, Max Minghella and Jane Levy.  Not exactly A-listers, but names, at least--familiar faces to TV and movie fans.  Jesse Zwick is the writer-director.  You may have heard of him.  Well, his last name, anyway, which he shares with dad Ed Zwick, a major film and TV director/producer.

And what's the plot? "The Big Chill-like movie focuses on a group of college friends who reunite for a weekend away after drifting apart following graduation."

Ouch.  If you've ever been to a film festival, you'll know you can't spit without hitting a movie about college friends reuniting for a weekend.  I'm not saying they can't be good--heck, I liked The Big Chill, and Return Of The Secaucus 7, which helped start the genre--but the odds don't favor it.  This sort of film lends itself to characters having deep conversations about how we've all changed, coupled with a complete lack of forward motion in the plot.

So for you future filmmakers out there, please don't learn the wrong lesson from About Alex.  No one cares to hear you moon over your college days.  Give us a story that hooks us--one where things actually happen.  If there is a lesson to be learned from this project, it's to get names in your cast, and, if possible, be born to a Hollywood insider.