Berlin International Film Festival
BERLIN -- The Alexandra in Rolf de Heer's "Alexandra's Project" is a housewife who, fed up with her husband, leaves a goodbye note to Steve on his birthday. This being the 21st century, that note is videotape, which Steve and the rest of us must watch for much of the movie's 103 minutes. Well, at least Steve must watch the tape because he is trapped in his ultra-security townhouse, where the locks to all the doors and security shutters have been changed so none of his keys fits. We, of course, have the option of fleeing.
This Australian film, shown here in competition, will finds adherents here and there, but none outside of art houses in limited release. The upside is the film cost less than AUS$2 million ($1.2 million), so it will not need too many fans to make back its cost.
The early sections build tension extremely well with a minimum of dialogue. Alexandra (Helen Buday) is clearly up to something as husband Steve Gary Sweet) goes about his day as a manager in some business. He even wins a promotion around the time Alexandra packs their children off in a taxi and makes a mysterious phone call.
Steve returns to his suburban home to find it empty and dark. Lights fail to work, doors lock behind him and the phone is dead. Then he finds a tape labeled "Play Me". The tape begins innocently enough with birthday greetings from his adoring kids. Then a little less innocently with Alexandra performing an awkward striptease. Finally, she starts to talk about her unhappiness.
Fortunately, Steve does fast-forward through much of this until he sees a gun onscreen. The gun doesn't really play any role thereafter, but it does get his attention. Now she prattles on about what a self-centered jerk he has been all these years. The heart of her complaint is that he wants to have sex with her too often. He also calls her Alex rather than Alexandra. Have these people ever heard of a marriage counselor?
There are other surprises, which in fairness should stay surprises, but none makes Alexandra look like anything more than a neurotic whiner whose own crimes far outweigh those of her husband's, especially when you consider these now include kidnapping.
As a stunt to see if a director can entertain an audience with a movie about a guy staring at a TV monitor, "Alexandra's Project" passes muster. In the darkened house, de Heer, cinematographer Ian Jones and designers Ian Jobson and Phil Macpherson keep things creepy and mystifying. But that damn videotape takes the edge off the mood both visually and dramatically. If she was going to go to this much trouble, it's a pity Alexandra didn't hire a young experimental video maker.
ALEXANDRA'S PROJECT
Fandango Australia and Palace Films in association with the South Australian Film Corp. present a Vertigo production
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Rolf de Heer
Producers: Rolf de Heer, Julie Ryan, Domenico Procacci
Executive producer: Antonio Zeccola
Director of photography: Ian Jones
Production designers: Ian Jobson, Phil Macpherson
Music: Gragan Tardif
Costume designer: Beverly Freeman
Editor: Tania Nehme
Cast:
Steve: Gary Sweet
Alexandra: Helen Buday
Bill: Bogdan Koca
Running time -- 103 minutes
No MPAA rating...
BERLIN -- The Alexandra in Rolf de Heer's "Alexandra's Project" is a housewife who, fed up with her husband, leaves a goodbye note to Steve on his birthday. This being the 21st century, that note is videotape, which Steve and the rest of us must watch for much of the movie's 103 minutes. Well, at least Steve must watch the tape because he is trapped in his ultra-security townhouse, where the locks to all the doors and security shutters have been changed so none of his keys fits. We, of course, have the option of fleeing.
This Australian film, shown here in competition, will finds adherents here and there, but none outside of art houses in limited release. The upside is the film cost less than AUS$2 million ($1.2 million), so it will not need too many fans to make back its cost.
The early sections build tension extremely well with a minimum of dialogue. Alexandra (Helen Buday) is clearly up to something as husband Steve Gary Sweet) goes about his day as a manager in some business. He even wins a promotion around the time Alexandra packs their children off in a taxi and makes a mysterious phone call.
Steve returns to his suburban home to find it empty and dark. Lights fail to work, doors lock behind him and the phone is dead. Then he finds a tape labeled "Play Me". The tape begins innocently enough with birthday greetings from his adoring kids. Then a little less innocently with Alexandra performing an awkward striptease. Finally, she starts to talk about her unhappiness.
Fortunately, Steve does fast-forward through much of this until he sees a gun onscreen. The gun doesn't really play any role thereafter, but it does get his attention. Now she prattles on about what a self-centered jerk he has been all these years. The heart of her complaint is that he wants to have sex with her too often. He also calls her Alex rather than Alexandra. Have these people ever heard of a marriage counselor?
There are other surprises, which in fairness should stay surprises, but none makes Alexandra look like anything more than a neurotic whiner whose own crimes far outweigh those of her husband's, especially when you consider these now include kidnapping.
As a stunt to see if a director can entertain an audience with a movie about a guy staring at a TV monitor, "Alexandra's Project" passes muster. In the darkened house, de Heer, cinematographer Ian Jones and designers Ian Jobson and Phil Macpherson keep things creepy and mystifying. But that damn videotape takes the edge off the mood both visually and dramatically. If she was going to go to this much trouble, it's a pity Alexandra didn't hire a young experimental video maker.
ALEXANDRA'S PROJECT
Fandango Australia and Palace Films in association with the South Australian Film Corp. present a Vertigo production
Credits:
Screenwriter-director: Rolf de Heer
Producers: Rolf de Heer, Julie Ryan, Domenico Procacci
Executive producer: Antonio Zeccola
Director of photography: Ian Jones
Production designers: Ian Jobson, Phil Macpherson
Music: Gragan Tardif
Costume designer: Beverly Freeman
Editor: Tania Nehme
Cast:
Steve: Gary Sweet
Alexandra: Helen Buday
Bill: Bogdan Koca
Running time -- 103 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 2/18/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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