A family lives in the tranquil bliss of Venice, California, but not all is as it seems. Workaholic mom is keeping the family afloat, organized and on track, but her much more relaxed husband (played by Chris Messina, who also makes his directorial debut here) throws her and the family for a loop when he asks for a break that could turn into something more.
Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Don Johnson, Derek Luke, Katie Nehra, and Skylar Gaertner, “Alex Of Venice” is a look at how a mother copes when a family suddenly implodes. Here’s a synopsis that was provided during the Tribeca Film Festival last year where the movie debuted:
In the directorial debut from Chris Messina, Mary Elizabeth Winstead gives a heartwarming performance as an environmental attorney who finds her workaholic regimen thrown into flux when her husband, George (Messina), asks for a break. For Alex, George has always been the one to take the reins at home. When his unexpected departure dawns as something more permanent, Alex finds herself caught balancing her family’s demands, her aging father, played memorably by Don Johnson, and her ambitious career, which she now struggles to maintain. Soon, Alex is forced to reevaluate her life and discover what she was always too preoccupied to notice. Messina’s assured direction, as accomplished as his own performance, creates an honest portrait of a woman facing unexpected vulnerability in order to find her own strength.
Our review from Tribeca said the film was anchored by a “terrifically vulnerable performance by an unadorned Mary Elizabeth Winstead” and “particularly great” was Don Johnson as Winstead’s pot-smoking and absentminded father. We also spoke to Winstead in a video interview, so you should check that out, too. Screen Media will release the film on April 17th, in limited release and on VOD. The first trailer for the film has arrived and you can watch it below.
