Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 2003
Alexandra's Project
Buy Alexandra's Project now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'Alexandra's Project' is a 2003 Australian drama thriller film written and directed by Rolf de Heer and starring Gary Sweet and Helen Buday.
Plot
Upon returning home from work on his birthday, Steve (Gary Sweet), a middle class husband and father of two, finds the house dark and his family not home. He notices a chair, his television set, and a video tape obviously set out for his viewing. He turns the TV and VCR on, and begins to watch a tape made for him by his wife, Alexandra (Helen Buday). The first clip shows his wife and children wishing him a happy birthday, but after the kids leave the room, Alexandra begins a striptease, and it appears to be nothing more than a birthday gift. As it progresses, however, it becomes clear that the tape is designed to humiliate and torture Steve for marital problems that Alexandra has been stewing about for years.
As part of her 'show', Alexandra feigns breast cancer, has sex with their neighbor, and tells Steve that neither she nor their two children are ever coming home.
Cast
* Gary Sweet as Steve
* Helen Buday as Alexandra
* Bogdan Koca as Bill
* Jack Christie as Sam
* Samantha Knigge as Emma
* Eileen Darley as Christine
* Geoff Revell as Rodney
* Philip Spruce as Taxi Driver
* Nathan O'Keefe as Man at Door
* Peter Greena as Chairman
* Martha Lott as Female Worker
* Cindy Elliott as Female Worker
* Gemma Falk as Female Worker
* Nicole Daniel as Female Worker
* Duncan Graham as Male Worker
* Michael Ienna as Male Worker
Production
De Heer originally wanted to make the film so he could use a single location and use up various fragments of ideas he had accumulated.[http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=7343&s=Interviews Andrew L Urban, "DE HEER, ROLF: ALEXANDRA'S PROJECT", 'Urban Cinefile'] accessed 11 November 2012
Release
The film's world premiere was 14 February 2003 as part of the Berlin International Film Festival[http://www.berlinale.de/external/en/filmarchiv/doku_pdf/20032555.pdf Alexandra's Project - Berlinale 2003] and was released regularly as Cinema release on 8 May 2003 in Australia.
Reception
Box office
'Alexandra's Project' took $844,494 at the box office in Australia.Critical reception
On Rotten Tomatoes the film has rating of 53% based on 19 reviews, with an average 5.56/10 rating. The Cultural Post gave it three out of five stars.Accolades
See also
* Cinema of Australia
* South Australian Film Corporation
References
Buy Alexandra's Project now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 2003