The film stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Don Johnson, Katie Nehra, Chris Messina, Derek Luke, Skylar Gaertner.

Her stay-at-home husband George, an artist, decides he's unhappy and can't continue taking care of their shy school-aged son Dakota or Alex's aging father Roger.

When George leaves Alex, Roger invites her wild younger sister Lily, a clothing designer, to stay with them and help look after Dakota.

Alex needs to deal with an impending legal case against Frank, a property developer with whom she has a brief sexual relationship, as well as her father's increasing forgetfulness.

Roger, a former television actor who doesn't want to accept his declining acuity, is cast as the aged manservant Firs in a stage production of The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov, but he struggles to remember his lines and cues.

"[6] Upon casting himself in the film, Messina said, "I thought there were a lot of other actors who could've done a better job [...] I was scared to do both (acting and directing), but I wanted to do it to learn what it’d be like.

Of the experience, he said, "That was maybe the dumbest thing – it was grueling, and I would never do that again [...] I’d be on set at Mindy during the day and then editing at night, and constantly on the phone during breaks.

The website's consensus reads: "Alex of Venice does immensely likable things with its overly familiar parts, adding up to an agreeable calling card for debuting director Chris Messina.

"[17] Yazdi Pithavala of Moviewallas.com added, "A great deal of the film’s success lies in the casting of Mary Elizabeth Winstead as the lead.

"[18] Screen Invasion noted, "Winstead is quietly stunning in all of Alex's various circumstances, from bewildered, overwhelmed and frazzled, to focused, confident and accepting.

[21] One reviewer complained that the script "leaves many details behind" and that "the audience is left questioning the plot from the get go"; but also felt that "the performances... make up for the film's ambiguity.