Alex: Eine Geschichte über Freundschaft (2014)

Alex: Eine Geschichte über Freundschaft: Directed by Jesse Zwick. With Nate Parker, Jason Ritter, Maggie Grace, Max Greenfield. When a group of old college friends reunite over a long weekend after one of them attempts suicide, old crushes and resentments shine light on their life decisions, and ultimately push friendships and relationships to the brink.

“As other reviewers have mentioned, the obvious, this is such an homage to The Big Chill that itu0026#39;s basically a remake. And it is SO well done! The casting is perfect, the dialogue is every bit as snappy and sharp as the original. The updates for millennials are pitch perfect. Characters complaining about our current obsession with documenting every moment instead of LIVING every moment. Our habit of referencing movies and tv shows to explain experiences and feelings…instead of actually experiencing them and describing them with…words. The writer, a Jesse Zwick, has nailed the failures, idiosyncrasies and benefits of our digital age without ever coming across as preachy or self indulgent. He observes his characters (He observes all of US) without judgement. His touch is just light enough to avoid cheesy sentimentality. Imagine handling an attempted suicide with such skill and wit. He takes us along as he imagines what might have happened if Alex, played by Kevin Costneru0026#39;s wrists in the original, had lived. He fleshes out the awkwardness, guilt, anger, relief that Alexu0026#39;s friends might have felt in the days immediately following the suicide attempt . This script could have gone so wrong. It went so right. This was Jesse Zwicku0026#39;s first produced script and his directorial debut. Attention must be paid. I canu0026#39;t wait to see what else this guy has up his sleeve.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI have no complaints! I am thrilled that the director chose to not make a wall to wall u0026quot;greatest hits of THAT momentu0026quot; soundtrack. It would have been so easy to do and would have hit us all squarely in the feels, but choosing to keep the sound spare was a braver move. He let the writing stand on its own, and it works!u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Big Chill came out when I was in high school. I am NOT a millennial, yet I did relate to many of the issues raised in the film. My friends and I went to see the film several times in the theater and then bought the damned soundtrack. I remember us cruising around our small town blasting that soundtrack from the crappy stereo system in our equally crappy cars. Freedom! One might expect that someone with such deep seated, sweet memories of the original might hate this remake/homage. They would be wrong. I loved it.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThat small town was in New Jersey. My memories and love of the state are just as strong as Bruce Springsteenu0026#39;s, though I moved away years ago. But as Josh says in one of his many quotable lines, u0026quot;Never trust anyone who is that passionate about the state of New Jersey.u0026quot; Heu0026#39;s not wrong; Iu0026#39;m an unrepentant Jersey Girl and I expect my affection for this movie will be as lasting (and irrational) as my love for my home state.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eGive this movie a chance. If you loved the Big Chill, you will love this too.”