Overall Rating Awesome: 26.09% Worth A Look: 54.35% Average: 2.17% Pretty Bad: 4.35% Total Crap: 13.04% 3 reviews, 28 user ratings

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Alexandra's Project

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by Stephen Groenewegen

"Sexism, lies and videotape"

Alexandra’s Project is a compelling and disturbing psychological thriller about a taken-for-granted wife who wreaks a terrible revenge.

Alexandra (Helen Buday) feels that her husband, Steve (Gary Sweet), has only loved her for her body and never respected her intelligence or personality. Now that he’s losing interest in her physically, her depression and anger peak and she decides to act. Packing off the children, Alexandra prepares a “surprise” for Steve’s birthday - a videotaped confession of her unhappiness that veers from playful teasing to torment.

Rolf De Heer has several graphic shocks in store for Alexandra’s audience (Steve and us) and he paces them superbly throughout. His direction, and the creeping camera work of Ian Jones, transforms a suburban Adelaide townhouse into a claustrophobic home-security nightmare. Graham Tardif’s terrifically sinister score accentuates the atmosphere of unease. Both key performers are excellent, with Sweet trading on his once boyish good looks, charm and TV hero persona.

What’s most unsettling is that Steve is not an obvious monster, just an averagely boorish and insensitive Aussie bloke. Because he’s so recognisable, he consequently seems undeserving of such extreme punishment. This ignores Alexandra’s unequal position in the relationship - he’s taken away her rights, money and power - and Steve’s steamrolling of her previous attempts to air grievances.

I think de Heer’s film is more feminist than anti-feminist, as some critics have claimed, but is mostly about inciting discussion. It’s impossible to immediately dismiss Alexandra’s Project from your mind, or walk out of the theatre without wanting to talk about it.

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link directly to this review at http://efilmcritic.com/review.php?movie=7504&reviewer=104
originally posted: 08/13/03 13:54:12

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OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2004 SXSW Film Festival. For more in the 2004 South By Southwest Film Festival series, click here.
For more in the Australian series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2003 Edinburgh Film Festival. For more in the 2003 Edinburgh Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2004 Palm Springs Film Festival. For more in the 2004 Palm Springs Film Festival series, click here.
OFFICIAL SELECTION: 2003 Chicago Film Festival. For more in the 2003 Chicago Film Festival series, click here.

User Comments

6/29/05 Bob Norris Mental castration and eternal remorse 5 stars

1/14/05 Gullytrap Alexandra's next project: How to stop Rolf de Heer making any more films. 1 stars

12/29/04 Abdullah Khamis landmark 5 stars

7/31/04 Vinny Brillant. I loved it ! 5 stars

7/05/04 Lyn Utterly brilliant 5 stars

7/03/04 Coach loved it. something different 4 stars

6/20/04 Stuart What a bitch! 3 stars

5/29/04 Gina Compelling and disturbing 4 stars

4/11/04 A (female/ non-conservative Great idea/ acting but not convincing. Revange too harsh for his crimes. wife not believabl 2 stars

3/22/04 Elle Anee A plight of many women...only this one snapped. Men, treat your women well! 5 stars

1/26/04 Sensei Misansry, feminism, leftism 1 stars

1/21/04 S Sas, you justn't hear the movie over your rumbling tummy 1 stars

1/21/04 Sas Tedious and ugly. Hated it. 1 stars

1/17/04 Brooke Cale This movie is unbearably tense from the beginning to the end. This is a GEM of a film!!! 5 stars

1/15/04 Marcc Paquette Excellent direction; nice "ambiance" 4 stars

12/21/03 ian duncanson challenging, well-produced film 4 stars

9/02/03 Mark Davis Well, it ain't pretty, but is engrossing. Buday is exceptional. 4 stars

8/15/03 TonyH If Steve thinks this is scary wait for the sequel staring the FLC/C$A 5 stars

8/07/03 PAIGE LACEY GREAT 4 stars

6/30/03 mcb I actually thought it was very misogenistic and am surprised by people calling it feminist. 2 stars

6/20/03 Sarah Davis Gary Sweet is a fantastic actor and this role just proves it 5 stars

5/26/03 Allison Distressing and horrible. An ugly film that went too far in trying to be 'on the edge' 1 stars

5/26/03 Stephen Clements Confronting film, awesome 5 stars

5/15/03 Kevin Corcoran an interesting pschological thriller, don't let your wife see this one 5 stars

5/15/03 stevied a harrowing emotional challenge 5 stars

5/13/03 jenny andersen exploitation dressed up as social comment - dishonest 1 stars

5/11/03 John Bale Pedestrian bleak marriage breakdown thriller, lifted by Budays amazing performance 4 stars

5/05/03 Elendil Forget it if you can't deal w/ a fem-perspective-just call her whiny b* and have a XXXX. 5 stars

IF YOU'VE SEEN THIS FILM, RATE IT!
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USA 18-Feb-2005 UK N/A Australia 08-May-2003 (MA)

Directed by Rolf de Heer Written by Rolf de Heer Cast Gary Sweet Helen Buday Bogdan Koca Jack Christie Samantha Knigge

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