Alexander the Last (2009)

An ensemble drama about a married actress, her sister and their myriad sexual and creative temptations.

Director:

Joe Swanberg

Writers:

Joe Swanberg, David Lowery (additional material),

Stars:

Jess Weixler, Justin Rice, Barlow Jacobs

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jess Weixler	...	Alex
Justin Rice	...	Eliott
Barlow Jacobs	...	Jamie
Amy Seimetz	...	Hellen
Jane Adams	...	Director
Josh Hamilton	...	Playwright
Jo Schornikow	...	Bandmate
Sean Price Williams	...	Matt
Christopher Denham	...	Actor
Molly Hawkins	...	Actress
Kent Osborne	...	Reggie
Alison Bagnall	...	Costume Designer
Ellen Stagg	...	Model
Randy Bell	...	Sailor
Jade Healy	...	Stagehand

Storyline

An ensemble drama about a married actress, her sister and their myriad sexual and creative temptations.

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Plot Keywords:

actress | guitar | mumblecore | kissing | musician | 

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Taglines:

Sometimes a commitment requires a little creativity

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 March 2009 (USA)

Also Known As:

Alexander el último

Company Credits

Production Co:

IFC Films, Film Science

Technical Specs

Runtime:

72 min 72 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Lost in a labyrinth of lust

Joe Swanberg has previously used the plot device of a woman torn between two competing romantic prospects in his shamefully weak 2007 film 'Hannah Takes The Stairs'. It's a theme that has been used in drama and literature for centuries, but 'Alexander The Last' provides a fresh perspective on the old double-backed beast, and also reveals an exponential growth in the director's film-making sophistication since his earlier project. The film opens with a pair of attractive sisters making vows of life-long loyalty to one another. One of them is Alex, a young married actress who has just been hired for a fringe drama production, while her musician husband prepares to depart on a tour. When the theater rehearsals commence, Alex becomes friendly with Jamie, an actor who is playing the part of her stage lover. Jamie is from out of town, so Alex invites him to sleep on the sofa at her apartment. Later, with ambivalent motives, she decides to hook him up with her sister, just as the two actors begin work on an intimate love-scene for their play. By the time her husband returns from his tour, Alex is completely disoriented, unable to separate her stage character's issues from her own.

Jess Weixler depicts Alex's inner turmoil with her customary sensitivity and skill, as this sympathetic young woman becomes increasingly confused by a heady cocktail of lust, jealousy and guilt. When her repressed conflict does flare up for a brief moment, its effect is shockingly intense due to the film's casually naturalistic style. Just as dramatic artifice had provoked his actress heroine's earlier bewilderment, Swanberg neatly utilizes the same method to resolve matters at the film's conclusion. It's a rewarding experience to see an artist mature before one's eyes - and 'Alexander The Last' leaves one eagerly anticipating Swanberg's next project.