FilmSnobReviews

Title: Alex and the List
MPAA Rating: TV-PG
Director: Harris Goldberg
Starring: Patrick Fugit, Karen Gillan, Jennifer Morrison
Runtime: 1 hr 52 mins

What It Is: Alex (Fugit) is a pretty normal guy. Just a dog walker that’s living his best life with his girlfriend Katherine (Morrison). When Alex decides it time to take the next step in their relationship he does just that…and then it happens. He gets blindsided by a list of things Katherine thinks could “improve” him. This doesn’t sit well initially with him or his childhood best friend Lily (Gillan). Will Alex bend to these wills to avoid losing this lovely love of his, or is that list over the line for him?

What We Think: Mediocrity is the word of the day. This film suffers immensely from mediocre everything. Scripting, acting, and direction. Goldberg doesn’t stretch his muscle by any means Fugit seems like a complete idiot the entire time and has far better chemistry with Gillan then Morrison, and that goes against the entire plot. Let’s discuss this plot, which in and of itself isn’t great. How did this idea get stretched into almost two hours? This should’ve been 90 to 95 minutes max. Another testament to Goldberg’s lack of direction no doubt. On top of all that it commits a cardinal sin in a comedy film…it isn’t really funny.

Our Grade: D+, The plot, though idiotic, made sense. That’s what saves this film from the trash bin. Do I recommend this? Nah, not on your life. Skip it if possible. Perhaps go with another Patrick Fugit film, like Almost Famous or a personal favorite of mine Wristcutters: A Love Story. Honestly, what did I expect from a guy that wrote the Deuce Bigelow sequel and Without a Paddle aka every bro around my ages favorite movie when they were in the 7th grade.