Alex Strangelove
2018 · Directed by Craig Johnson
Original language: English
- comedy
- drama
The story
Alex Truelove is on a quest to lose his virginity, an event eagerly awaited by his patient girlfriend and cheered on with welcome advice by his rowdy friends. But Alex, a super gregarious dude, is oddly unmotivated. A magical house party throws Alex into the presence of Elliot, a hunky college guy, who pegs Alex as gay and flirts hard. Alex is taken aback but after a series of setbacks on the girlfriend front he takes the plunge and learns some interesting new facts about himself.
What it’s like
Bright, overlit suburban daytime with a sun-washed, slightly washed-out palette: pastel bedrooms, cluttered teen kitchens, and a house party that glows with warm lamplight and hazy, flash-photo nights. The camera stays mostly loose and handheld, moving with its characters as they bounce between friends, parents' cars and awkward dates, while the soundtrack leans on bouncy indie-pop and wry needle drops that keep the mood buoyant. The vibe is light, sunny and self-aware, a comedy with an easygoing ache underneath, well suited to a lazy weekend afternoon or a comfort watch with friends. Its rhythm is brisk and chatty, with sex talk, gags and running jokes that stay in the open. The emotional arc follows a chatty, outgoing teen who is more curious than he expected, slowly getting honest with himself and the people around him. Sexual content is frank and comic, with plenty of talk about sex, nudity-free teen awkwardness and some kissing and sexual situations; violence is minimal and no real cruelty. It is for viewers who want an upbeat, funny coming-of-age story about sexuality, gentle in tone and warm about its characters.
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