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Alexander IRL
By Brian Costello,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Terrible teen comedy isn't funny; lots of potty humor.
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Alexander IRL
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What's the Story?
In ALEXANDER IRL, Alex (Brent Rivera) is a nerdy high school computer whiz with a huge crush on popular girl Lo (Ryan Newman). His older brother EJ (Nathan Kress) is a struggling 20-something receptionist for a venture capitalist still living at home. When their parents leave town for the weekend, the two brothers decide to throw a party, but for different reasons. Alex wants to have the party to become more popular and to impress Lo, and EJ wants to try out a new app he has developed with Alex and his friends that cuts down on energy usage by powering down smartphones and therefore forcing teens to live "IRL." Besides nosy neighbors and a jock bully, the two must contend with a whole slew of obstacles before, during, and after the party, and find a way to succeed in their endeavors.
Is It Any Good?
Apparently, YouTube Red is determined to put out the worst movies they possibly can, and with this one they keep this trend going. A teen comedy lacking a coherent storyline and even having a single "LOL" moment, Alexander IRL can't seem to decide if it should be a teen party movie or a satire of teens who spend too much time "on the grid." The actors playing the main characters do their best with what they have, but there isn't much anyone can do with trite jokes and banal observations.
This is amateur filmmaking at its absolute worst. There is no entertainment value to this, and the movie's themes contradict and double-back on themselves so much, it no longer remotely matters what the overall point is, assuming there even is a point. Like so many of their other releases, Alexander IRL is making it clear that YouTube Red really needs to step up its quality control.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about teen party movies. How is Alexander IRL similar to and different from other movies in which teens throw parties when their parents leave town?
How does this movie address smartphone use? Does it accurately reflect how teens use smartphones?
How realistic is this movie? Do the characters seem like people you know?
What would be the real-life consequences of throwing a party when parents are away?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: January 11, 2017
- Cast: Nathan Kress , Ryan Newman , Mikaela Hoover
- Director: K. Asher Levin
- Studio: YouTube
- Genre: Comedy
- Topics: High School
- Run time: 82 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: July 2, 2022
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