An air of melancholy permeates the film through most of its run time. Mary Elizabeth Winstead is solid as Alex, a workaholic lawyer and mom trying to save a rare species of frogs from extinction while working for an environmental agency. She lives with her husband and son at her father's house, a retired actor Roger, played by Don Johnson. The film opens with the family cohabitating peacefully in the doldrums of Venice California but things get ugly quickly as we learn George the husband, played by Chris Messina, isn't happy and wants to separate. Alex is left to pick up the pieces while her father's memory starts to fail, her son struggles with the rejection of his father's absence, her sister shows up and selfishly messes up her weak attempt to help out and her court case unravels. There isn't much to be happy about and the film feels heavy and depressing but does present some hopeful, nuanced situations at the end that suggest things might be okay in the long run. I liked the film but didn't love it. Worth watching for Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Don Johnson (who still looks great in his advancing years).
Review of Alex of Venice
